Drug delivery vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention provide herein provides for a targeted drug delivery vehicle compositions, methods of manufacture, and methods of treatment for therapeutic applications.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/682,057, entitled DRUG DELIVERY VEHICLE, filedon Aug. 10, 2012, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated byreference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

This invention was made with the support, in parts, of the IntramuralHeart, Lung, and Blood Institute Research Fund. The government hascertain rights in the invention.

BACKGROUND

This application pertains to compositions for tailored drug delivery ofa pharmaceutical agent to a specific cell, tissue, or organ type usingnaturally occurring affinities.

Many drug candidates fail to advance through the drug-developmentpipeline because of harmful side-effects. Often these problems areassociated with the use of passive drug delivery, which relies on theabsorption of a drug across the biological membrane of all cells. Whensystemically administered by passive drug delivery to a patient, manydrugs will only reach the targeted cells in low concentrations, with theremaining drug either non-specifically collecting in other parts of thebody (e.g. high concentrations in the liver and plasma) or being clearedfrom the body. This is of particular concern for drugs having a highcytotoxic potential, such as chemotherapy agents, which can damagehealthy as well as diseased cells. A targeted delivery of pharmaceuticalagents is highly desirable because via this mechanism accurate dosagesof an effective drug may be delivered selectively to diseased cells andwould either totally avoid or reduce the amount of drug exposure tonormal, healthy cells and tissues.

Different types of drug delivery vehicles have been explored such as,polymeric micelles, polymeric nanovehicle, liposomes, polymersomes,nanospheres, nanocapsules, dendrimers, proteins, cell ghosts,inorganic/metallic and bacterial delivery vehicles (Alexis et al. 2010;Matsumura and Kataoka 2009; Wang et al. 2009). Many of these approachesrequire the use of large proteins which may be expensive to produce.Additionally, many of the currently employed drug delivery vehicles failto address the problem of simultaneously impacting healthy cells andtissues via the drug employed.

Ideally, a targeted drug delivery vehicle should act specifically on thediseased cell of interest, while avoiding toxic side-effects on healthycells. Furthermore, the delivery agent should be largelynon-immunogenic, have extended residence time in the blood and bebiodegradable. Furthermore, the system as whole should be amenable toaddress a broad range of diseases and be amenable to scale up andmanufacturing at a commercial-scale level.

The current invention provides drug delivery compositions, methods ofmanufacture and methods of treatment for therapeutic applications thatcan overcome several challenges currently presented in pharmaceuticaldevelopment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This application pertains to compositions for tailored drug delivery ofa pharmaceutical agent to a specific cell, tissue, or organ type usingnaturally occurring affinities.

In some embodiments the invention provides a composition comprising atargeting amino acid chain bound to a biocompatible polymer. In someembodiments, the composition can increase the solubility of a drug. Insome embodiments the biocompatible polymer is a fatty acid. In someembodiments the fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid. In someembodiments the fatty acid is a fatty acid chain smaller than 15 carbonsin length. In some embodiments biocompatible polymer is myristic acid.In some embodiments the targeting amino acid chain is covalently linkedto the biocompatible polymer.

In some embodiments the targeting amino acid chain is smaller than 50amino acids in length. In some embodiments the targeting amino acidchain has an affinity to a transmembrane molecule. In some embodimentsthe targeting amino acid chain has an affinity to a receptor. In someembodiments the targeting amino acid chain has an affinity to an HDLreceptor. In some embodiments the targeting amino acid chain has anaffinity to rapidly dividing cells. In some embodiments the targetingamino acid chain has an affinity to cancer cells. In some embodimentsthe targeting amino acid chain is selected from a group consisting ofSEQ ID NO: 1-62.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

All publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned in thisspecification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent asif each individual publication, patent, or patent application wasspecifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity inthe appended claims. A better understanding of the features andadvantages of the present invention will be obtained by reference to thefollowing detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments,in which the principles of the invention are utilized, and theaccompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 shows a Ramachandran plot ([φ, Ψ]) plot that illustrates thedefinition of the φ and ∩ backbone dihedral angles that are used todefine an alpha helix confirmation.

FIG. 2 shows a transmission electron microscopy image illustratingsubstantially spherical shape of a drug delivery vehicle containing thechemotherapeutic, paclitaxel with a mean diameter of ˜20 nm.

FIG. 3 shows comparative in vitro dissolution studies of drug-loadedvehicle compared to conventional passive drug delivery using dynamicdialysis technique to determine in vitro release in PBS at 37° C. 92% oforiginally concentration of drug loaded in the vehicle was maintainedafter 72 hours incubation. For passive drug delivery, 70% of theoriginal concentration was released within 8 hours of incubation.

FIG. 4 shows dose-response comparative studies determining the halfmaximal inhibitory (IC₅₀) concentration values of valrubcin(N-trifluoroacetyladriamycin-14-valerate) in the ovarian cell cancermodel SKOV-3 (HTB-77) drug-loaded vehicle compared to conventionalpassive drug delivery. The vehicle delivery drug has an IC₅₀ of lessthan 6 μg and passive drug delivery had an IC50 greater than 12 μg,illustrating that the vehicle delivery has a 2-fold enhancement ofcytotoxicity over passive drug delivery.

FIG. 5 shows comparative cytotoxicity studies of drug-loaded vehiclecompared to conventional passive drug delivery on cancerous cell lines(PC-3 prostate and SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cell lines) and non-malignantcell lines (PZ-HPV and HiO180). The in vitro therapeutic index is thusincreased by at least 80 fold when the drug valrubicin is incorporatedinto rHDL nanoparticles.

FIG. 6 (A) shows drug loading capacity studies (B) shows drug loadingefficiency studies with vehicle comprising increasing concentrations ofSEQ ID NO:20-myr component.

FIG. 7 shows comparative pharmacokinetic profile studies with the drugdelivery vehicle versus passive drug delivery.

FIG. 8 shows paclitaxel encapsulation efficiency into myristoyl peptidenanoparticles based on measurements of 3H-paclitaxel

FIG. 9 shows therapeutic index study with the drug delivery vehicle andpassive drug delivery.

FIG. 10 shows competition study for the HDL receptor by the drugdelivery vehicle and increasing amounts of HDL.

DEFINITIONS

The term “treat”, “treating” or “treatment” refers to any indication ofsuccess in the treatment or amelioration of an injury, pathology,condition, or symptom (e.g., pain), including any objective orsubjective parameter such as abatement; remission; diminishing ofsymptoms or making the symptom, injury, pathology or condition moretolerable to the patient; decreasing the frequency or duration of thesymptom or condition; or, in some situations, preventing the onset ofthe symptom or condition. The treatment or amelioration of symptoms canbe based on any objective or subjective parameter; including, e.g., theresult of a physical examination.

The term “administering” refers to oral administration, administrationas a suppository, topical contact, parenteral, intravenous,intraperitoneal, intramuscular, intralesional, intranasal orsubcutaneous administration, intrathecal administration,intra-lymphatic, inhalation of microdroplets, or the implantation of aslow-release device e.g., a mini-osmotic pump, to the subject.

The term “therapeutically-effective amount or dose” or “therapeuticallysufficient amount or dose” or “effective or sufficient amount or dose”refer to a dose that produces therapeutic effects for which it isadministered. In sensitized cells, the therapeutically effective dosecan often be lower than the conventional therapeutically effective dosefor non-sensitized cells.

The term “agent” or “biologically active agent” refers to a biological,pharmaceutical, or chemical compound. Non-limiting examples includesimple or complex organic or inorganic molecule, a peptide, a protein,an oligonucleotide, an antibody, an antibody derivative, antibodyfragment, a vitamin derivative, a carbohydrate, a toxin, or achemotherapeutic compound. Various compounds can be synthesized, forexample, small molecules and oligomers (e.g., oligopeptides andoligonucleotides), and synthetic organic compounds based on various corestructures. In addition, various natural sources can provide compoundsfor screening, such as plant or animal extracts, and the alike. Askilled artisan can readily recognize that there is no limit as to thestructural nature of the agents of the present invention.

The term “prodrug” means any form of a drug (or compound) which isadministered to an patient, such as a human, in an inactive or lessactive than the original structure. Prodrugs can be converted, to theactive form by metabolization. Said conversion of the prodrug into theactive form is not specifically restricted to any chemical and/orphysical alteration of the prodrug which occurs after administration,such as release of an active part (particularly the cytostatic agent) ofthe prodrug at the site of action

The term “affinity binding” refers to that binding which occurs betweensuch paired species as enzyme/substrate, receptor/agonist,antibody/antigen, and lectin/carbohydrate which may be mediated bycovalent or non-covalent interactions or a combination of covalent andnon-covalent interactions. When the interaction of the two speciesproduces a non-covalently bound complex, the binding which occurs istypically electrostatic, hydrogen-bonding, or the result of lipophilicinteractions.

The term “amphiphilic compound” refers to a compound having bothhydrophobic portions and hydrophilic portions. For example, theamphiphilic compounds of the present invention can have one hydrophilicface of the compound and one hydrophobic face of the compound.Amphiphilic molecules have a hydrophilic head group and a hydrophobictail group, where the hydrophobic group and hydrophilic group are joinedby a covalent bond, or by a variable length linker group.

The term “subject.” “individual” or “patient” is used interchangeablyherein, which refers to a vertebrate, preferably a mammal, morepreferably a human. Mammals include, but are not limited to, murines,simians, humans, farm animals, sport animals, and pets. Tissues, cellsand their progeny of a biological entity obtained in vitro or culturedin vitro are also encompassed.

The term “in vivo” refers to an event that takes place in a subject's oranimal's body.

The term “in vitro” refers to an event that takes places outside of asubject's or animal's body. For example, an in vitro assay encompassesany assay run outside of a subject assay. In vitro assays encompasscell-based assays in which cells, alive or dead, are employed. In vitroassays also encompass a cell-free assay in which no intact cells areemployed.

The term “targeting molecule”, refers to all molecules capable ofspecifically binding to a particular target and forming a bound complex.For example, the ligand and its corresponding target molecule, anantibody, form a specific binding pair that forms a complex when boundtogether by their corresponding affinity bonding sites.

The term “C_(max)” refers to the peak plasma concentration of the drugafter administration.

The term “T_(max)” refers to the length of time to takes to reach thepeak plasma concentration of the drug after administration.

The term “AUC” refers to the area under a curve and indicates theintegral of the concentration-time curve after a single dosage or in asteady state after administration of the drug.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Herein, we provide compositions for tailored drug delivery ofpharmaceutical agents to a specific cell, tissue or organ type using,naturally occurring affinities, an efficient method for commercial scalemanufacture and methods for treatment across a broad range oftherapeutics and diseases.

Targeting Amino Acid Chain

The present invention provides targeted drug delivery vehiclescomprising a poly amino acid composition comprised of a targeting aminoacid chain. The targeting amino acid chain generally has an affinity fora target or target related molecule which will help the targeted drugdelivery vehicle find, bind to, or otherwise interact with a target.This targeting can be useful for delivering a drug to a target.

The targeting amino acid chain can have homology to a naturallyoccurring full-length protein. For example, the targeting amino acidchain can be a peptide that is a portion of a larger naturally occurringprotein. In some embodiments the targeting amino acid chain is a peptidethat is identical to a portion of a naturally occurring protein. Inother embodiments modification from the natural sequence are made to aportion of the peptide, altering the sequence from that found naturally,for example by 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, or 30%. In some embodimentsnon-naturally occurring molecules are included in the amino acid chain.

The targeting amino acid chain may be comprised of less than 50 aminoacids. Alternatively, the targeting amino acid chain can be comprised ofabout 50 to 40 amino acids, about 40 to 30 amino acids, about 30 to 20amino acids, about 20 to 10 amino acids, or about 10 to 5 amino acids inlength. In some instances the targeting amino acid chain is larger than50 amino acids or is comprised of multiple repeating targeting aminoacid chains. In some embodiments the repeating targeting amino acidchains have similar or identical compositions.

The targeting amino acid chains, or any acids of the invention can incertain applications be comprised of natural or unnatural amino acidresidues. Additionally, the targeting amino acid chain can be derivedfrom a combination of natural or not naturally occurring amino acidresidues. For example, the targeting amino acid chain can have abackbone that is partially or completely non-amino acid in nature, butcontain side groups identical to the side groups of the amino acidresidues that occur in the amino acid chain on which the targeting aminoacid chain is modeled. Several types of chemical bonds, for example,ester, thioester, thioamide, retroamide, reduced carbonyl, dimethyleneand ketomethylene bonds, are generally useful substitutes for amino acidchain bonds in the construction of protease-resistant targetingmolecules.

The targeting amino acid chain can comprise one or more alpha helix(α-helix) or α-helixes, for example the targeting amino acid chain cancomprise two α-helixes. The α-helix is a confirmation that ischaracterized by a right-handed coiled or spiral conformation, in whichevery backbone N—H group donates a hydrogen bond to the backbone C═Ogroup of the amino acid four residues prior. Helices observed inproteins can range from four to over forty amino acid residues long.

Amino acid residues comprising an α-helix typically adopt backbone (φ,ψ) dihedral angles around (−60°, −45°). The alpha-helices structures canbe identified in using several computational methods, one of which isthe Dictionary of Protein Secondary Structure. α-helices adopt dihedralangles such that the ψ dihedral angle of one residue and the φ dihedralangle of the next residue sum to roughly −105°. As a consequence,α-helical dihedral angles, in general, fall on a diagonal stripe on theRamachandran plot or ([φ, ψ] plot), diagram (of slope −1), ranging from(−90°, −15°) to (−35°, −70°). For comparison, the sum of the dihedralangles for a 310 helix is roughly −75°, whereas that for the π-helix isroughly −130°. The general formula for the rotation angle Ω (omega) perresidue of any amino acid chain helix with trans isomers is determinedby the following equation: 3cosOmega=1-4 cos² [(phi+psi)/2].

There is a multiplicity of techniques available for constructingtargeting amino acid chain with the same, similar or increasedbiological affinity as the corresponding native peptide. Amino acidschain can be constructed to exhibit one or more desired activities thatare distinct or improved from the corresponding native peptide. By wayof example, an amino acid chain can be developed to have improvedcharacteristics of solubility, stability, lipid interaction, and/orsusceptibility to hydrolysis or proteolysis (Morgan and Gainor, Ann.Rep. Med. Chem. 24:243-252, 1989) or other characteristics that enhancetheir therapeutic application, such as increased cell pet ineability,greater affinity and/or avidity for a binding partner, and/or prolongedhalf-life inside the cell.

Amino acids are largely classified according to their side chains intothe following categories: polar, hydrophobic, acidic, basic andaromatic. Polar amino acids include, without limitation, asparagines,cytokine, glutamine, histamine, selenocysteine, serine, threonine,tryptophan and tyrosine. Examples of hydrophobic or non-polar aminoacids include, without limitation, leucine, isoleucine, valine, glycine,alanine, proline, methionine, and phenylalanine. Examples of basic aminoacid residues include, without limitation, arginine, homolysine andlysine. Examples of acidic amino acid residues include, withoutlimitation, aspartic acid and glutamic acid. Aromatic amino acidsinclude, without limitation, biphenylalanine, histidine,2-napthylalananine, pentafluorophenylalanine, phenylalanine, tryptophanand tyrosine. Some amino acids are classified in more than one group,for example, histidine, tryptophan and tyrosine are classified as bothpolar and aromatic amino acids. Additional amino acids in thesecategories are known.

Different amino-acid sequences have different propensities for formingα-helical structure. The amino acids, methionine, alanine, leucine,uncharged glutamate, and lysine have especially high helix-formingpropensities, whereas proline and glycine have poor helix-formingpropensities. The amino acid, proline can break a helix structure forthe reason that its sidechain interferes sterically with the backbone ofthe preceding turn, forcing a bend in the helix axis. However, prolineis often seen as the first residue of a helix, presumably owing to itsstructural rigidity. At the other extreme, glycine, which has virtuallyno side chain, also tends to disrupt helices because its highconformational flexibility makes it entropically expensive to adopt therelatively constrained α-helical structure.

By way of example, an amino acid chain's helical conformation can beaffected by both the charge and hydrophobicity of the molecule at thetarget site and the bulk (or size) of the side chain which has beensubstituted in. Amino acid substitutions which are expected to producethe greatest changes in the amino acid chain's physical properties andconfirmation can be, for example, if a hydrophilic residue, such as,seryl or threonyl, is substituted for a hydrophobic residue, such as,leucyl, isoleucyl, phenylalanyl, valyl or alanyl. An additional exampleis when an amino acid having a bulky side chain, such as, phenylalanine,is substituted for an amino acid lacking a side chain, such as, glycine.

Suitable substitutions for a targeting amino acid chain include, but arenot limited to, beta-alanine and other omega-amino acids, such as3-aminopropionic acid, 2,3-diaminopropionic acid, 4-aminobutyric acidand the alike, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, epsilon-aminohexanoic acid,delta-aminovaleric acid, N-methylglycine or sarcosine, ornithine,citrulline, t-butylalanine, t-butylglycine, N-methylisoleucine,phenylglycine, cyclohexylalanine, norleucine, naphthylalanine,4-chlorophenylalanine, 2-fluorophenylalanine, 3-fluorophenylalanine,4-fluorophenylalanine, penicillamine,1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid, beta-2-thienylalanine,methionine sulfoxide, homoarginine, N-acetyl lysine, 2,4-diaminobutyricacid, 2,3-diaminobutyric acid, p-aminophenylalanine, N-methyl valine,homocysteine, homophenylalanine, homoserine, hydroxyproline,homoproline, N-methylated amino acids, and peptoids (N-substitutedglycines).

The targeting amino acid chain can have amipathic properties. Atargeting amino acid chain can have a hydrophilic property on one sideof the alpha helix (α-helix) and has a hydrophobic property on theopposite side of the α-helix.

The degree of amphipathicity of the α-helixes can be quantified bycalculating the hydrophobic moment (μ_(H)) of each of the amphipathicα-helical domains. Methods for calculating μ_(H) are described inEisenberg et al., Faraday Symp. Chem. Soc. 17:109-120, 1982; Eisenberget al., PNAS 81:140-144, 1984; and Eisenberg et al., J. Mol. Biol.179:125-142, 1984. The amphipathicities of various amino acid chains ofdifferent lengths can be directly compared by way of the meanhydrophobic moment. The mean hydrophobic moment per residue can beobtained by dividing μ_(H) by the number of residues in the amino acidchain.

The targeting amino acid chain allows for the tailored manufacture ofthe sequence for targeting to specific targets, e.g. specific cellstissues or organs associated with a disease. Generally this is achievedusing protein chemistry methods to adapt or design the targeting aminoacid chain such that it has an affinity to a target.

A targeting amino acid chain can advance towards and bind to a specificcell, tissue or organs types in the body by homing to its target that ishas affinity to. The targeting amino acid chain can be designed, forexample, by using tissue specific cell-surface molecules as modeltemplates to engineer a synthetic targeting amino acid chain. Examplesof suitable molecules that can be used as models for the targeting aminoacid chain molecule include, but are not limited to, antibodies,antibody fragments, peptides, lymphokines, cytokines, receptor proteins,hormones, growth factors, ligands, sugars, carbohydrates, transmemebraneproteins or equivalents thereof.

The targeting amino acid chain can have an affinity to membrane-boundreceptors that are tissue, cell or organ specific.

Suitable amino acid sequences that can be used to as the targetingmolecule include, but are not limited, to heparin binding site (RKNR)(SEQ ID NO:1) or (KKWVR) (SEQ ID NO:2), integrin binding site (RGD) (SEQID NO:3), P-selectin (DVEWVDVSY) (SEQ ID NO:4), internalization sequenceof TAT HIV (RKKRRQRRRPPQ) (SEQ ID NO:5) and (RRRQRRKKR) (SEQ ID NO:6),panning (RRPXR) (SEQ ID NO:7), penatratin (RQIKIWFQNRRMKWKK) (SEQ IDNO:8), neutral cholesterol esterase activation SAA C-terminus(GHEDTMADQEANRHGRSGGDPNYYRPPGGY) (SEQ ID NO:9) inhibition of ACAT SAAN-terminus (GFFSFIGEAFQGAGDMWRAY) (SEQ ID NO:10), increase liveraffinity LDL receptor (KAEYKKNKHRH) (SEQ ID NO:11) or (YTRLTRKRGLK) (SEQID NO:12), anti-oxidant activity modified 18A (DWLKAFYCKVAEKLKEAF) (SEQID NO:13) or (DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKCAF) (SEQ ID NO:14), apoA-I milano(YSDGLRQCLAARLDALKDR) (SEQ ID NO:15), heavy metal chelation 6×-Hissequence (HHHHHH) (SEQ ID NO:16), lactoferrin (FQWQRNIRKVR) (SEQ IDNO:17) and Scavenger receptor type B-1 (SR-B1) binding sequences,DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:18),RMRITERDDFRGQMSEITDDCPSLQDRFHLTEVHSLRVLEGS (SEQ ID NO:19),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWAKAAYDKAAEKAKEAA (SEQ ID NO:20),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKAKEAF (SEQ ID NO:21),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKAKEAA (SEQ ID NO:22),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAAYDKVAEKAKEAA (SEQ ID NO:23),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAAYDKAAEKAKEAA (SEQ ID NO:24),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWGKAGYDKGAEKGKEAG (SEQ ID NO:25),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWGKAGYDKGAEKGKEAF (SEQ ID NO:26),DWGKAGYDKGAEKGKEAGDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:27),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLK (SEQ ID NO:28),KAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:29),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVA (SEQ ID NO:30),DKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:31),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:32),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:33),DWLAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:34),DWLFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:35),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLAKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:36),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLAAKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:37),DWLKAAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:38),DWLKAAAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:39),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLEAFYDKVAKKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:40),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLEAFYDEVAKKLKKAF (SEQ ID NO:41),DWLEAFYDKVAKKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:42),DWLEAFYDEVAKKLKKAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:43),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:44),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:45),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:46),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:47),LLDNWDSVTSTFSKLREQPDWAKAAYDKAAEKAKEAA (SEQ ID NO:48),LESFKVSFLSALEEYTKKPDWAKAAYDKAAEKAKEAA (SEQ ID NO:49),DWAKAAYDKAAEKAKEAAPLLDNWDSVTSTFSKLREQ (SEQ ID NO:50),DWAKAAYDKAAEKAKEAAPLESFKVSFLSALEEYTKK (SEQ ID NO:51),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPSDELRQRLAARLEALKEN (SEQ ID NO:52),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPRAELQEGARQKLHELQEK (SEQ ID NO:53),SDELRQRLAARLEALKENPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:54),RAELQEGARQKLHELQEKPDWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:55),LLDNWDSVTSTFSKLREQPSDELRQRLAARLEALKEN (SEQ ID NO:56),LESFKVSFLSALEEYTKKPRAELQEGARQKLHELQEK (SEQ ID NO:57),SDELRQRLAARLEALKENPLLDNWDSVTSTFSKLREQ (SEQ ID NO:58),LLDNWDSVTSTFSKLREQPLESFKVSFLSALEEYTKK (SEQ ID NO:59),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLRAFYDKVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:60),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLRAFYDRVAEKLKEAF (SEQ ID NO:61),DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAFPDWLRAFYDRVAEKLREAF (SEQ ID NO:62).

The targeting amino acid chain can have an affinity to a molecule thatspecifically localizes to the desired surface of the target cellaffected by the disease to be treated. In one embodiment, cell-typespecific molecules are used as templates to build a synthetic targetingmolecule comprising the poly amine-acid subunit. Tissue sites envisionedto be targeted by the targeting molecule include, but are not limitedto, neural cells, liver cells, bone marrow cells, kidney cells,pancreatic cells, stem cells, progenitor cells, lymphocytic cells,muscle cells, gastric tissue, lung tissue, brain tissue and otherdisease cells such as cancerous, hyperproliferative, or undifferentiatedcells.

In addition to using cell surface and cell-type specific molecules asmodels to construct a targeting amino acid chain, one can also performan in vivo or in vitro assays to determine a particular targetingsequence for a disease of interest. Accordingly, in one embodiment theinvention provides methods to make several degenerate peptides and thenintroduce the degenerate peptides into an animal model or cell culturesystem representative of the disease to be treated. The diseased cellswill be extracted and protein analysis will be performed (such asprotein sequencing by mass spectrometry and/or Edman degradationreaction to determine which degenerate peptides localized to thediseased cells). Once determined, the targeting sequence will used tobuild the targeting amino acid chain. In one embodiment of theinvention, the experimentally determined amino acid sequence is thetargeting molecule that comprises targeting amino acid chain. In anotherembodiment, targeting amino acid chain is comprising the experimentallydetermined targeting amino acid sequence is constructed into a drugdelivery vehicle and used for treatment of the disease and itsequivalent diseases using an appropriate pharmaceutical agent in atherapeutic-effective amount.

Examples of targeting molecules that can be used can include cellsurface and tissue-specific molecules as discussed earlier. In addition,targeting conjugates can be used. In this application of the invention,one of the targeting conjugates would be placed at the disease sitewhile its conjugate partner is present on the targeted drug vehicle;ultimately the targeting conjugate combination provide the drug vehiclethe ability to advance towards the disease site. Examples of targetingconjugates include, but are not limited to, a combination of biotin andavidin, a combination of biotin and streptavidin, a combination ofbiotin and NeutrAvidin®, a combination of biotin and human-derivedbiotin-binding molecules, a combination of biotin and Strep-Tactin®, acombination of Strep-Tag® and Strep-Tactin®, a combination ofStrep-TagII® and Strep-Tactin®, a combination of S-Tag® and S-protein, acombination of Halo Ligand® and Halotag®, a combination of glutathioneand glutathione S-transferase, a combination of amylose and amaltose-binding protein, a combination of appropriately designed epitopeand a humanized monoclonal antibody for the epitope, and a combinationof appropriately designed sugar chains and relevant sugarchain-recognizing molecules including lectin and humanized monoclonalantibodies. Herein, biotin, glutathione, a sugar, an epitope, or the alike may be modified with a spacer arm (e.g., polyethylene glycol orhydrocarbon) and a reaction group (e.g., an N-hydroxysuccinimide group,a sulfo-N-hydroxysuccinimide group, a pentafluorophenyl group, ahydrazide group, an amide group, a pentylamine group, a maleimide group,a hexyl(pyridyldithio)propionamide group, a iodoacetyl group, a ridylgroup, an azidosalicylamide group, a nitrophenyl azide group, a psoralengroup, or a tetraphenylfluoroazido group).

Additionally, a combination of complementary nucleic acids thereof, acombination of an antigen and an antibody or a fragment thereof, acombination of an enzyme and a substrate or an inhibitor, or acombination of a ligand and a receptor can be also be used as atargeting conjugates with the claimed invention.

The invention also provides for a composition, wherein the polyamine-acid subunit is comprised of at least one additional targetingmolecule. The additional target molecule site comprising the polyamine-acid subunit is envisioned to play several roles. The additionaltarget molecule site can function to enhance specificity of targeting,broadening targeting to multiple sites in the body or expandingtreatment modalities. In one application, the additional targetingmolecule functions to enhance discrimination of the disease cell overhealthy cells. In another application the additional targeting moleculeprovides for delivery of the vehicle to two different tissues, cells ororgans. In another application the additional target molecule sitecomprising the vehicle can provide clinicians and their patients moredelivery options (e.g. oral, injectable, implantable, inhalation ect.)

The targeted drug delivery vehicle can be further enhanced by amodifications (e.g. biochemical or chemical modifications) which canimprove the properties of the drug delivery vehicle. A For example, thetargeting amino acid chain can be modified by associating a moleculewith an aliphatic chain of the targeting amino acid chain.

The targeting amino acid chain can be further enhanced by the attachmentof a modifications. For example the invention provides for thebiochemical modification by an aliphatic chain. The aliphatic chain canbe associated with the targeting amino acid chain using various methods,for example by association through van der Waals forces or by ionicbonding conjugation. Alternatively, conjugation of the aliphatic chainto the α-helix amino acid can be accomplished using covalent bonding.The invention provides for compositions to include a stoichiometry ofone or more aliphatic chains to a targeting amino acid molecule. By wayof example an amino-acid component can be comprised of 1:1 aliphaticchains: targeting amino acid chain sor 1:2 or 1:3 or 1:4. Suitablealiphatic chains to be used with the amino-acid composition include, butare not limited to, fatty acids, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids,sphingolipids, sterol lipids, saccharolipids and polyketides.

Fatty acids are aliphatic chains that are comprised of carboxylic acidwith either saturated or unsaturated chain(s) of hydrocarbons.Unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds between carbonatoms owing to a lack of a hydrogen atom. Some examples of unsaturatedfatty acids include, but are not limited to, myristoleic acid, sapienicacid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, vaccenic acid, linoleic acid,linoelaidic acid, α-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoicacid, erucic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid.

Saturated fatty acids are long-chain carboxylic acids that usually havebetween 12 to 24 carbons in length and have no double bonds. Examples ofsaturated fatty acids include, but are not limited to, caprylic acid,capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid,arachidic acid, behenic acid, lignoceric acid, and cerotic acid.

Most naturally occurring fatty acids are comprised of a chain of carbonsranging from 4 to 28 carbons in length. Fatty acids can be categorizedas short-chain, medium-chain, long-chain, very-long fatty acid chain.Short-chain fatty acids are fatty acids with aliphatic tails comprisedof fewer than 6 carbons in length. Medium-chain fatty acids are definedas fatty acids with aliphatic tails comprised of 6 to 12 carbons inlength. Long-chain fatty acids are fatty acids with aliphatic tailscomprised of longer than 12 carbons in length. Very long chain fattyacids are defined as fatty acid comprised of tails with more than 22carbons in length. In one embodiment of the composition, the aliphaticchain is one or more short-chain, medium-chain, long-chain, or very longfatty acid chain(s). In another composition of the invention, thealiphatic chain attached to the poly amine-acid is less than 15 carbonsin length but no shorter than 3 carbons in length.

Glycerolipids are composed mono-, di-, and/or tri-substituted glycerols.Additional subclasses of glycerolipids are represented byglycosylglycerols. Glycosylglycerols are characterized by the presenceof one or more sugar residues attached to glycerol via a glycosidiclinkage. In another composition of the invention, the aliphatic chainattached to the poly amine-acid is one or more glycerolipids.

Glycerophospholipids, usually referred to as phospholipids are keycomponents of the lipid bilayer of cells and are also involved inmetabolism and cell signaling events. Examples of glycerophospholipidsinclude, but are not limited to, phosphatidylcholine,phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine phosphatidylinositols andphosphatidic acids. In one composition of the invention, the aliphaticchain attached to the poly amine-acid is one or moreglycerophospholipids that is not a palmitoyl-oleyl phosphatidylcholine.

Sphingolipids are comprised of a sphingoid base backbone. Sphingolipidsplay important roles in signal transmission and cell recognition. Themain mammalian sphingoid bases found in mammals are dihydrosphingosineand sphingosine. Examples of sphingolipids include, but are not limitedto, ceramides with an amide-linked fatty acid and ceramidephosphocholines. In another composition of the invention, the aliphaticchain attached to the poly amine-acid is one or more sphingolipids.

Sterol lipids all derived from the same fused four-ring core structure.They are important component of membrane lipids have differentbiological roles as hormones and signaling molecules. Example of sterollipids include, but are not limited, to cholesterol and its derivatives,estrogen testosterone, androsterone, progestogens, glucocorticoids,mineralocorticoids, and bile acids. In another composition of theinvention, the aliphatic chain attached to the poly amine-acid is one ormore sterol lipids which are not unesterified cholesterol.

Saccharolipids are another type of aliphatic chains in which the fattyacids chains are directly linked to a sugar backbone. Saccharolipids arecompatible with membrane bilayers. In another composition of the claimedinvention, the aliphatic chain attached to the poly amine-acid is one ormore saccharolipids.

Polyketides are another type of aliphatic chains that are synthesized bypolymerization of acetyl and propionyl subunits. The polyketides familyexhibits great structural diversity. In another composition of theclaimed subunit, the aliphatic chain attached to the poly amine-acid isone or more polyketides.

In another aspect of the invention, the targeting amino acid chain canbe further enhanced by other natural occurring protein chemicalmodifications that would enhance or retain its natural affinity to itstarget which is complexes with. Examples of suitable chemicalmodifications that can be used with the claimed invention include, butare not limited to, acetate, phosphate, various lipids and carbohydratesand equivalents. In another composition of the claimed subunit, the polyamine-acid includes one or more biochemical modifications including, butnot limited to, acetate, phosphate, various lipids and/or carbohydrates.

Drug Delivery Vehicle

While lipoproteins have been envisioned to be suitable drug deliveryvehicles, the clinical application of these vehicles has faced bothcommercialization and technical hurdles. Commercial scale production hasbeen prohibited owing to the difficulty of obtaining large quantities ofpurified biomaterials and the complexity of steps employed to producethe vehicle. In addition, lipoprotein based vehicles also face severaltechnical challenges such as stability in the body fluids and limitedpayload capacity. The present invention overcomes these previouschallenges.

The present application provides for a biocompatible targeted drugdelivery vehicle composition. In one embodiment the targeted drugdelivery vehicle is the assembly of multiple targeting amino acid chainscompositions into a drug delivery vehicle composition. The targeted drugdelivery vehicle can have a substantially spherical shape and a sizerange about 20 nm to 100 nm in diameter (FIG. 1). The targeted drugdelivery vehicle can have a largely a hydrophobic core and hydrophilicexterior. The hydrophobic portions can function as “cargo space”allowing for both the loading and containment of pharmaceutical agentsprior to the delivery of the pharmaceutical agents to the targeted cell,tissue or organ type.

The number of targeting amino acid chains used to comprise the targeteddrug delivery vehicle is expected to vary slightly, as its ultimate sizewill be dependent on the type of drug and the amount of drug that is tobe associated or encapsulated by the claimed vehicle. It will be obviousto those skilled in the art what will be a sufficient number of subunitmolecules to form the spherical vehicle, based on conformation andintegrity assessments using such methods as C-D spectrometry, atomicforce microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electronmicroscopy or equivalent methods.

By way of example the invention provides for drug delivery vehiclecompositions that can be comprised of about 5 to 10 targeting amino acidchains, 10 to 15 targeting amino acid chains, 15 to 20 targeting aminoacid chains, 20 to 25 targeting amino acid chains 30 to 35 targetingamino acid chains, 35 to 40 targeting amino acid chains, 40 to 45targeting amino acid chains, or 45 to 50 targeting amino acid chains or50 to 55 targeting amino acid chains or 55 to 60 targeting amino acidchains.

The invention also provide for the vehicle to be free of unesterifiedcholesterol, esterified cholesterol, phospholipids, includingphosphatidylcholine, phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl inositol,phosphatidyl ethanolamine, diphosphoglyceride, folic acid or the apo A-1protein or a portion of apo A-1 protein greater than 50 amino acids inlength.

An additional aspect of the claimed targeted drug delivery vehiclecomposition is enhanced stability in fluids as compared to passive drugdelivery and phospholipid based delivery vehicle. As thephospholipid-based vehicles come in contact with body fluids, theirlipid curvature increases and resulting in destabilization of theirstructure. This destabilization compromises the vehicles integrity, andultimately results in the leakage of the drug out of the vehicle priorto delivery. The claimed invention offers improved bioavailability overboth conventional passive drug delivery methods and phospholipid-baseddrug delivery vehicles, by providing better stability and protectionfrom inactivation by the biological environment, and as a result oftheses properties, the claimed invention ultimately provides moreaccurate drug dosing to the site of disease.

Another aspect of the vehicle composition is increased time ofdissolution relative to passive drug delivery (FIG. 3). The vehiclecompositions of the invention provides for a drug vehicle with adissolution profile in which within about 5 minutes at least about 20%of the therapeutic agent is dissolved. In other embodiments of theinvention, at least about 30% or at least about 40% of the therapeuticagent is dissolved within about 5 minutes. In yet other embodiments ofthe invention, preferably at least about 40%, at least about 50%, atleast about 60%, at least about 70%, or at least about 80% of thetherapeutic agent is dissolved within about 10 minutes. Finally, inanother embodiment of the invention, preferably at least about 70%, atleast about 80%, at least about 90%, or at least about 100% of thetherapeutic agent is dissolved within about 20 minutes.

The claimed drug delivery vehicle composition exhibits plasmaconcentration profiles that shows an increased in maximal drug deliveryconcentration relative to conventional passive drug delivery. By way ofnon-limiting example, a desirable pharmacokinetic profile of thecomposition could include a C_(max) for therapeutic agent when assayedin the plasma of a subject following administration that is preferablygreater than the C_(max) for the same therapeutic agent when deliveredat the same dosage by conventional passive drug delivery or an AUC fortherapeutic agent when assayed in the plasma of a subject followingadministration that is preferably greater than the AUC for the sameagent when delivered at the same dosage by conventional passive drugdelivery; or a T_(max) for therapeutic agent when assayed in the plasmaof a subject following administration that is preferably less than theT_(max) for the same therapeutic agents when delivered at the samedosage by conventional passive drug delivery (FIG. 7).

The targeted drug delivery vehicle compositions can exhibit a plasmaconcentration profile that shows an increase maximum concentration drugdelivery time relative to conventional passive drug delivery. In someapplications of the claimed composition vehicle composition exhibits,for example, a T_(max) for therapeutic agents or equivalents, containedtherein which is not greater than about 90% of the T_(max) for the sameagent and dosage delivered by a with conventional passive drug. In otherembodiments the particulate composition may exhibit, for example, aT_(max) for therapeutic agent, which is not greater than about 80%, notgreater than about 70%, not greater than about 60%, not greater thanabout 50%, not greater than about 30%, not greater than about 25%, notgreater than about 20%, not greater than about 15%, not greater thanabout 10%, or not greater than about 5% of the T_(max) for the sameagent and dosage delivered by a with conventional passive drug. TheT_(max) of the claimed vehicle will vary depending on the target siteand vehicle size. By way of example only, in one embodiment of vehiclecomposition will exhibit a T_(max) of the therapeutic agent delivered bythe claimed vehicle when assayed in the plasma of the subject is lessthan about 6 to about 8 hours, less than about 6 hours, less than about5 hours, less than about 4 hours, less than about 3 hours, less thanabout 2 hours, less than about 1 hour, or less than about 30 minutesafter administration.

Another aspect of the targeted drug vehicle composition can exhibit aplasma concentration profile that shows an increased AUC relative topassive drug delivery allowing for better steady state dosage levels.The invention provides for vehicle a composition that exhibits, forexample, an AUC for a therapeutic agent which is at least about 25%greater than the AUC for the same therapeutic and dosage when deliveredby passive conventional drug delivery. Other vehicle composition mayexhibit, for example, an AUC for therapeutic agent which is at leastabout 50%, at least about 75%, at least about 100%, at least about 125%,at least about 150%, at least about 175%, at least about 200%, at leastabout 225%, at least about 250%, at least about 275%, at least about300%, at least about 350%, at least about 400%, at least about 450%, atleast about 500%, at least about 550%, at least about 600%, at leastabout 750%, at least about 700%, at least about 750%, at least about800%, at least about 850%, at least about 900%, at least about 950%, atleast about 1000%, at least about 1050%, at least about 1100%, at leastabout 1150%, or at least about 1200% greater than the AUC for the sametherapeutic and dosage delivery by passive conventional drug delivery.

The therapeutic index is the ratio of the amount of a therapeutic agentthat causes the therapeutic effect to the amount that causes death (inanimal studies) or toxicity (in human studies). The therapeutic indexratio is calculated by the lethal or toxic dose divided by thetherapeutic dose. A therapeutic agent with a narrow therapeutic range(i.e. having little difference between toxic and therapeutic doses) mayhave its dosage adjusted according to measurements of the actual bloodlevels achieved in the person taking it. A higher therapeutic index ispreferable to a low therapeutic index; a patient would have to take amuch higher dose to reach the lethal/toxic threshold than the dose takento elicit the therapeutic effect. The invention provides for acomposition that increases the therapeutic index of therapeutic agentsgreater than 20%, greater than 30% greater than 40% greater than 50%,greater than 60% relative to the therapeutic index of the same drugdelivered by conventional passive drug delivery (FIG. 9).

One problem during a cancer chemotherapy regimen, is the phenomenoncalled drug resistance. Drug resistance occurs when the cancer cellsthat initially were suppressed by anticancer drug treatment, developresistance to the drug over time. This is caused primarily by reduceddrug uptake (in the cell) and increased drug efflux (out of cell). Inaddition, chemotherapeutic agents often have a narrow therapeutic indexwindow. It is envisioned that the claimed drug delivery vehicle, willfunction to reduce drug resistance when treating patients withchemotherapeutic drugs due to the direct delivery of the encapsulateddrugs into the cell's cytoplasm and thus limiting the exposure to themembrane localized drug resistance pumps.

Therapeutic Agents

The claimed vehicle can be associated with broad categories oftherapeutic agents having diverse physical properties. Suitable drugsenvisioned to be associated with the claimed targeted drug deliveryvehicle include, but are not limited to, heparin, low-molecular-weightheparin, heparinoids such as dextran sulfate and beta-cyclodextrintetradecasulfate, heparin derivatives, urokinase, RGD peptide-containingcompound, antithrombin compounds such as hirudin, hirulog, and argatroban, platelet receptor antagonists, antithrombin antibodies, antiplateletreceptor antibodies, aspirin, prostaglandin inhibitors and antiplateletpeptides, GPIIb and Ella inhibitors such as ticlopidine, clopidogrel,abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban, FXa inhibitors, anticoagulantssuch as vitamin K inhibitors (e.g., warfarin), antithrombotic agents,platelet agents, platelet adhesion inhibitors such as albumin andpolyethylene oxide, cyclooxygenase pathway inhibitors such as aspirin,ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, indomethacin, and sulfinpyrazone, lipoxygenasepathway inhibitors, leukotriene receptor antagonists, thromboxane A2(TAX2) pathway modifiers such as sulotroban, vapiprost, dazoxiben, andridogrel, natural and synthetic adrenal cortical steroids such asdexamethasone, prednisolone, corticosterone, methoprednisolone, andhydrocortisone, estrogen, anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., sulfasalazineand mesalamine), antitumor agents, antiproliferative drugs, mitoticdivision inhibitors, cell-division-arresting agents, andcell-proliferation-influencing factors (e.g., paclitaxel,5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, vinblastine, vincristine, epothilone,endostatin, angiostatin, angiopeptin, monoclonal antibodies capable ofblocking smooth muscle cell proliferation, and thymidine kinaseinhibitors), cell cycle inhibitors such as CDK inhibitors, tyrosinekinase inhibitors (e.g., tyrphostin, genistein, and quinoxalinederivatives) and other protein kinase inhibitors, purine analogs(cladribine that is a 6-mercaptopurine or chlorinated purine nucleotideanalog), metabolic antagonists such as pyrimidine analogs (e.g.,cytarabine and 5-fluorouracil) and methotrexate, antitumor antibioticssuch as nitrogen mustard, alkyl sulfonic acid, ethyleneimine,daunorubicin, and doxorubicin, drugs that influence microtubule movementsuch as nitrosourea, cisplatin, vinblastine, vincristine, colchicine,paclitaxel, and epothilone, angiogenesis inhibitors such as caspaseactivators, proteasome inhibitors, endostatin, and angiostatin,anti-proliferative and antitumor agents (e.g., rapamycin, cerivastatin,flavopiridol, and suramin), vascular cell growth inhibitors such asgrowth factor inhibitors, growth factor receptor antagonists, antibodiesantagonistic to growth factors, transcription repressors, translationrepressors, replication inhibitors, antibodies capable of recognizingendothelial progenitor cells, bifunctional molecules comprising growthfactors and cytotoxin, and bifunctional molecules comprising antibodiesand cytotoxin, cytokine and hormone, acidic and basic fibrous cellgrowth factors, FGF pathway drugs such as bFGF antibodies and chimericfusion proteins, angiogenesis factors such as growth factors (e.g.,angiopoietin, vascular endothelial growth factors, endothelial divisionpromotion (growth) factors, epithelial growth factor, transforminggrowth factors alpha and beta, platelet-derived endothelial growthfactors, platelet-derived growth factors, tumor necrosis factor alpha,hepatocellular growth factors, and insulin-like growth factors),endothelialization-promoting agents such as RGD peptide, PDGF receptorantagonists such as trapidil, IGF pathway drugs such as somatostatinanalogs (e.g., angiopeptin and octreotide), polyanion reagents (e.g.,heparin and fucoidan). TGF-beta pathway drugs such as decorin andTGF-beta antibodies, EGF pathway drugs such as EGF antibodies, TNF-alphapathway drugs such as receptor antagonists, chimeric fusion proteins,and thalidomide and analogs thereof, adenylate and guanylate cyclasestimulants such as forskolin, cyclic nucleotide pathway drugs such asphosphodiesterase inhibitors (e.g., cilostazol and dipyridamole),calcium channel blockers such as benzothiazepine (e.g., diltiazem),dihydropyridine (e.g., nifedipine, amlodipine, and nicardipine) andphenylalkylamine (e.g., verapamil), serotonin pathway modifiers such as5-HT antagonists (e.g., ketanserin and naftidrofuryl) and 5-HTabsorption inhibitors (e.g., fluoxetine), catecholamine modifiers suchas alpha antagonists (e.g., adenosine analogs, prazosin, and bunazosin),beta antagonists (e.g., propranolol), and alpha and beta antagonists(e.g., labetalol and carvedilol), endothelin receptor antagonists, ACEinhibitors such as cilazapril, fosinopril, and enalapril, endogenousvasoactive mechanism inhibitors such as angiotensin-receptor antagonists(e.g., saralasin, losartan, candesartan, and valsartan), othervasodilators such as hydralazine, adrenaline a agonists, adrenaline betaagonists, dopamine agonists, prostaglandins, analogs thereof, andprostacyclin analogs such as prostaglandins E1, E2 and I2, organicnitrates and nitrites such as nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, andamyl nitrite, inorganic nitroso compounds such as sodiumnitroferricyanide(III) dehydrate, sydnonimines such as molsidomine andlinsidomine, nitrogen monoxide adducts such as diazeniumdiolate andalkanediamine, S-nitroso compounds containing low-molecular-weightcompounds (e.g., S-nitroso derivatives of captopril, glutathione, andN-acetylpenicillamine) and S-nitroso compounds containinghigh-molecular-weight compounds (e.g., S-nitroso derivatives ofproteins, peptides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, syntheticpolymers, or oligomers and natural polymers or oligomers), nitrogenmonoxide donors and nitrogen monoxide-releasing molecules such asC-nitroso compounds, O-nitroso compounds, N-nitroso compounds, andL-arginine, E- and P-selectin antagonists, VCAM-1-ICAM-1 interactioninhibitors, macrophage activation inhibitors such as bisphosphonate,cholesterol-lowering agents such as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (e.g.,lovastatin, pravastatin, fluvastatin, simvastatin, cerivastatin, andpitavastatin), fish oil and omega-3-fatty acid, radical scavengerantioxidants such as probucol, vitamins C and E, ebselen, and transretinoic acid, anesthetic drugs such as lidocaine, bupivacaine, andropivacaine, MMP pathway inhibitors such as marimastat, ilomastat, andmetastat, cell movement inhibitors such as cytochalasin B, matrixdeposition and assembly pathway inhibitors such as quinazolinonederivatives (e.g., halofuginone) and tranilast, hemorheology modifierssuch as pentoxifylline, triclosan, antimicrobial agents such asnitrofurantoin, penicillin antibiotics such as sultamicillin,amoxicillin, aspoxicillin, and piperacillin, cephalosporin antibioticssuch as cefaclor, cefazolin, cefotiam, flomoxef, cefteram, ceftazidime,cefmenoxime, cefozopran, and cefsulodin, carbapenem antibiotics such asimipenem, panipenem, and meropenem, monobactam antibiotics such asaztreonam, aminoglycosides such as amicacin, dibekacin, tobramycin,teicoplanin, streptomycin, and gentamicin, synthetic antimicrobialagents such as polymixin B, vancomycin, nalidixic acid, ofloxacin,ciprofloxacin, tosufloxacin, levofloxacin, and fosfomycin, macrolideantibiotics such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, andazithromycin, lincomycin antibiotics such as clindamycin and lincomycin,tetracycline antibiotics such as doxycycline and minocycline,antibiotics and antimicrobial agents such as chloramphenicol,thiamphenicol, sulfurmethoxyn, and sulfurmethoxazole, antituberculousagents such as isoniazid, rifampicin, and ethambutol, antileprotics suchas diaphenylsulfone and clofazimine, antifungal agents such as nystatin,miconazole, metronidazole, fluconazole, amphotericin B, andclotrimazole, antiviral agents such as ganciclovir, oseltamivir,vidarabine, aciclovir, and palivizumab, and antiprotozoal agents such aspentamidine.

The targeted drug delivery vehicle composition provides increasedsolubilization of a drug when associated with the delivery vehicle.Accordingly, the solubility of the drug is greater when associated withthe vehicle than when it is (free) not associated with the vehicle. Inone application, the solubility of hydrophobic drugs is greater whenassociated with the vehicle and thus remains solubilized prior todelivery of the drug into the cell. One application, the solubility ofhydrophilic drugs is greater associated with the vehicle and remainssolubilized prior to delivery of the drug into the cell. In anotherapplication of the invention, the solubility of macromolecular compoundsdrugs is greater associated with the vehicle and remains solubilizedprior to delivery of the drug into the cell. In another embodiment ofthe invention, the solubility of small molecule compounds drugs isgreater associated with the vehicle and remains solubilized prior todelivery of the drug into the cell.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a targeted drug deliveryvehicle comprising multiple targeted poly amino-acid subunits, whereineach targeted poly-amino-acid subunit contains a polynucleotide, aphospholipid, an excipient, and a targeting amino acid chain. Thepolynucleotide may be in the range of about 500-2500 kilobases. In oneexample, the phospholipid may be phosphatidylcholine and the peptide maybe an apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) mimetic. The peptide in thisembodiment may be between about 18 and 38 amino acids in length, and thecomplex may be between about 300-1000 nm in diameter. The polynucleotidemay be neutralized with a positively charged chemical via suppression ofits (native) negative charges before incorporation into the nanoparticleassembly. In this embodiment, the bioavailablity of the enclosedpolynucleotide is enhanced compared with polynucleotide alone, and thetherapeutic benefits of the polynucleotide are enhanced compared withpolynucleotide alone when administered to animals or humans.

The study of disease etiology has discovered that a large portion ofdisease is caused by dysregulation of genetic factors. As a result, agrowing area of therapeutics is gene therapeutic technology. One aspectof gene therapeutic technology is based on gene-silencing therapiesusing RNA interference (RNAi) or antisense (RNAa) technologies.Antisense or RNAi nucleic acids are designed to specifically bind totargeted nucleic acids, resulting in the formation of RNA-DNA or RNA-RNAhybrids, which function to silence or reduce of the expression of thetargeted gene. Gene expression is reduced through various mechanismsincluding an arrest of DNA replication, transcription or/and translationof messenger RNA (mRNA).

RNAa is a single-stranded RNA that is complementary to an mRNA strandtranscribed within a cell. Once in the cell, antisense inhibitstranslation by base pairing the complementary RNA and physicallyobstructing the translation machinery. In date, fomivirsen, used in thetreatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis, is the only antisensetherapeutic on the market. One hurdle to the development of antisensetherapeutic has been lack of means for efficient administration. It isenvisioned that the claimed vehicle is associated with RNAatherapeutics, for example fomivirsen and its equivalents thereof.

RNAi agents targeting the sequence causing the disease can be preparedaccording to any of a number of methods that are known in the art,including in vitro and in vivo methods, as well as by syntheticchemistry approaches. RNAi sequences do not exceed about 100 nucleotides(nt) in length, and typically does not exceed about 75 nt in length,where the length in certain embodiments is less than about 70 nt. Wherethe RNAi agent is a duplex structure of two distinct ribonucleic acidshybridized to each other, the length of the duplex structure typicallyranges from about 15 to 30 base pairs (bp) usually from about 15 to 29bp, where lengths between about 20 and 29 bp and more preferably, (e.g.,21 bp, 22 bp). Where the RNAi agent is a duplex structure of a singleribonucleic acid that is present in a hairpin formation, the length ofthe hybridized portion of the hairpin is typically the same as thatprovided above for the RNAi type of agent or longer by 4 to 8 nt. RNAitherapeutics can be engineered with certain chemical modifications forstability and conjugation for delivery.

One of the hurdles facing RNAi therapeutics for implementation as amainstream therapeutic is its potential for “off-target” effects, thatis, its propensity to repress other non-targeted genes with similarsequence to the targeted gene. One way to reduce the “off-target” effectof RNAi therapeutics is to have targeted delivery of the RNAitherapeutic to the disease cell. It is envisioned that the claimedvehicle is associated with RNAi therapeutics or equivalents thereof.

In one embodiment, the gene-silencing agent is an antisense that acts toreduce expression of the targeted sequence causing the disease. Inanother embodiment of the invention the gene-silencing is a smallinterfering double or single stranded RNAs (RNAi) sequence that acts toreduce expression of the targeted sequence causing the disease. Theinvention provides for a method of treatment using gene therapeuticsassociated with the claimed vehicle and administered alone or inconjunction with an admixture of one or more additional therapeuticagents to a patient suffering from a diseases caused, in part, by thegene targeted for silencing.

Produgs are therapeutic agents that can be activated by an enzyme,chemical or physiological stimuli to release the active drug from thechemically-constraining portion. Suitable prodrugs that can be used withthe invention include type I and type II and subtypes thereof.Non-liming examples of prodrugs include, type I prodrugs which arebioactivated intracellularly, type II prodrugs which are bioactivatedextracellularly, type IA prodrugs include many antimicrobial andchemotherapy agents (e.g., 5-flurouracil), type IB agents rely onmetabolic enzymes, especially in hepatic cells, to bioactivate theprodrugs intracellularly to active drugs, type IIA prodrugs arebioactivated extracelluarly, either in the milieu of GI fluids, type IIBwithin the systemic circulation and/or other extracellular fluidcompartments or type IIC near therapeutic target tissues/cells relyingon common enzymes such as esterases and phosphatases or target directedenzymes and mixed-type prodrugs. Mixed-type prodrugs can belong tomultiple subtypes classes (e.g. is bioactivated at multiple sites,either in parallel or sequential steps). By way of example only, amix-type prodrug is bioactivated concurrently in both target cells andmetabolic tissues (e.g., HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors and somechemotherapy agents). Currently, proteases are considered an importanttarget for development of prodrugs because proteases are highly involvedin diseases.

In one embodiment, the invention can be applied with a two-step deliveryof vehicle carrying the prodrug-activating enzyme and another vehiclecarrying the prodrug to be activated. After the two vehicles releasetheir cargo inside the target cell, the prodrug-activating enzymes canthen bioactivate the prodrug ensuring that the majority of the prodrugwill be activated inside the cell.

Methods

A. Manufacture of Drug Delivery Vehicle

In another aspect, the invention features a method of manufacturing thedrug delivery vehicle containing a drug. One of the advantages of theclaimed composition is that the subunit composition readily coalescesinto vehicle with highly homogenous architecture and high loadingefficiency (FIGS. 2 and 6). These features allows, along with thesynthetic nature of the materials comprising the vehicle, allows formanufacturing at a commercial scale level.

The vehicle can be loaded with a drug using several differenttechniques. The vehicle can be loaded with a drug during constitutionthe vehicle such that the drug becomes encapsulates during thesynthesize from its parts. This can be accomplished via turbulentmixing, sonication, vibrational atomization, and continuous flow mixers,rapid mixing using the solvent displacement method, cholate dialysis andother methods.

Sonication can be used to constitution the vehicle by mixing two liquidstreams. One stream contains the dissolved vehicle polymeric materialand the second stream contains a drug and/or combination of drugs. Atthe point of stream intersection, an inline ultrasonic vibrating platewill cause the vehicle to come out of solution and solidify. It isenvisioned that the claimed vehicle is manufactured using sonicationmethods as described or similar variations.

Vibrational atomization can also been used to form liquid droplets forvehicle manufacture. Such devices as DMP-2800 MEMS-based piezoelectricmicropump (inkjet) system produced by the Spectra Printing Division(Lebanon, N.H.) of Dimatix, Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) forms a 10-50 pL(1-5.times.10.sup.-11 liter) sized liquid droplet at 100,000 pL/s.Micropumps (inkjet systems) offer uniform mixing. It is envisioned thatthe claimed vehicle is manufactured using vibrational atomizationmethods described or similar variations.

One could also use continuous flow mixers to make the vehicle containingdrugs. Various mixers have been developed that provide turbulent mixingon a sub-millisecond timescale. Examples of such mixing devices include,but are not limited to, modified T-mixers, for example, the Berger mixeror the Wiskind mixer (R. L. Berger, B. Balko and H. F. Chapman in Rev.Sci. Instrum., 39:493-498 (1968) and R. E. Hansen and M. W. Tonsager inJ. Phys. Chem., 92:2189-2196 (1988). The Wiskind mixer has a provenability to achieve homogeneous mixing of two or more fluid streamsduring passage through the mixer. This system has been shown to beeffective for the manufacturing of vehicles less than 100 nm and wouldallow for industrial scale production and therefore would allow for thedevelopment of a commercial scale production process. It is envisionedthat the claimed vehicle is manufactured using flow mixers methodsdescribed or similar variations.

One could also make the vehicle of the claimed invention using rapidmixing using the solvent displacement method. In some such embodiments,a stirring rate of 500 rpm or greater is typically employed. Slowersolvent exchange rates during mixing result in larger vehicle.Fluctuating pressure gradients are used to produce high Reynolds numbersand efficient mixing in fully developed turbulence. Use of high gravityreactive mixing has produced small vehicles (10 nm) by achievingcentrifugal vehicle acceleration similar to that achieved by turbulentmixing at high Reynolds numbers. It is envisioned that the claimedvehicle is manufactured associated with the drug using solventdisplacement methods described or similar variations.

One could also make the vehicle of the claimed invention using sodiumcholate dialysis. Sodium cholate (cholic acid) is a water soluble bileacid. The drug (Paclitaxel, 2 mg) in DMSO is dried to a thin film underN₂. Subsequently, 50 μl of the Myristoyl 5A peptide solution (10mg/ml-in D.I. water) is added. 14 mg of sodium cholate is added from a100 mg/ml stock solution. The mixture is brought to a total volume of 2ml with 10 mM Tris, 0.1M KCl, 1 mM EDTA pH 8.0. The mixture is incubatedovernight at 4° C. and subsequently dialyzed against 2 liters of PBS(0.15M NaCl, 0.003M KCl, 0.15M KH₂PO₄, pH 7.4) with 4 changes of bufferduring 48 hrs. Using ³H-cholate as a tracer, <2% of the cholate remainedin the sHDL/drug preparations while over 60% of the paclitaxel remainedassociated with the sHDL delivery vehicle.

Other methods envisioned to make the vehicle include vaporizationmethods (e.g., free jet expansion, laser vaporization, spark erosion,electro explosion and chemical vapor deposition), physical methodsinvolving mechanical attrition (e.g., the pearl milling technologydeveloped by Elan Nanosystems of Dublin, Ireland), and interfacialdeposition following solvent displacement.

Alternatively, the drug can be covalently bound to the vehicle. Typicalamino acids used for the conjugation site include, but are not limitedto, lysine, arginine, tyrosine, and cysteine residues. The drug can beeither conjugated to the surface of the vehicle or onto the head groupof the alphatic tail (e.g. fatty acid). It is envisioned that theclaimed vehicle is associated to the drug using covalent bondconjugation methods as described or similar variations.

The vehicle can be loaded with a drug also using inculcation methods.Drugs, having a degree of amphiphilicity, can be inculcated within thesurface of the vehicle through noncovalent interactions, such as, vander Waals forces. It is envisioned that the claimed vehicle isassociated with the drug using inculcation methods described or similarvariations. Alternatively, the claimed vehicle is manufacturedassociated with the drug using inculcation method combined in concertwith cholate dialysis techniques.

One could load the vehicle with hydrophobic drugs via reconstitutiontechniques. This technique exchanges the hydrophobic with the desiredhyrdrophobic drug by lyophilization and organic extraction. It isenvisioned that the claimed vehicle is manufactured associated with thedrug using reconstitution techniques methods described or similarvariations.

B. Delivery Methods

The present invention provides for methods of treating a patient withthe claimed vehicle associated with a therapeutic-effective amount of apharmaceutical agent. Suitable routes of administration include, but arenot limited to, non-invasive peroral (through the mouth), transmucosal(nasal, buccal/sublingual, vaginal, ocular and rectal) and inhalationroutes. The vehicle can be administered to the patient in a variety ofmodes include parenterally, intravenously, intradermally,subcutaneously, intramuscularly, colonically, rectally orintraperitoneally methods.

The vehicle can be delivered systemically to a patient by several means.In one aspect of the invention, the drug containing vehicle can beintroduced into a patient's blood vessel lumen, such as an artery orvein, via percutaneous injection via a syringe with a needle.

In another aspect of the invention, the vehicle can be deliveredsystemically to a patient through a needle catheter. This involves theneedle catheter getting access to a blood vessel, followed by theintroduction of a wire through the lumen of the needle. Through the wireaccess other catheters can be placed into the patient's blood vessel forextended treatments over a longer period of time. Alternatively, thevehicle can be delivered to a patient's blood vessel lumen byimplantation of a medical implant such as a filter or a stent into theblood vessel.

The claim compositions are formulations for different delivery methodsdescribed herein. Proper formulation is dependent upon the route ofadministration chosen. Any pharmaceutically acceptable techniques,carriers, and excipients are used as suitable to formulate thepharmaceutical compositions described herein: Remington: The Science andPractice of Pharmacy, Nineteenth Ed (Easton, Pa.: Mack PublishingCompany, 1995), Hoover, John E., Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences,Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa. 1975, Liberman, H. A. and Lachman, L.,Eds., Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Marcel Decker, New York, N.Y., 1980,and Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery Systems, Seventh Ed.(Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 1999).

C. Methods of Treatment

Pharmaceutical agents such as peptide and protein, antibody, vaccine andgene based drugs, in general may not be delivered using these routesbecause they might be susceptible to enzymatic degradation or cannot beabsorbed into the systemic circulation efficiently due to molecular sizeand charge issues to be therapeutically effective. The inventionprovides for a method of treating a patient in need of therapeuticdelivered by the claimed targeted drug delivery vehicle. It isenvisioned that the method of treatment for a disease using the drugdelivery vehicle to administer peptide/protein or peptide mimetic,antibody, vaccine and gene based drugs pharmaceuticals to a patient inneed of prophylactic or therapeutic treatment.

Examples of drugs to be used in the method of treatment of a patient inneed of therapeutic treatment include, but are not limited to,low-molecular inorganic compounds, low-molecular organic compounds,polymeric inorganic compounds, polymeric organic compounds, peptides,and nucleic acids. Examples of peptides that can be administered to apatient using the drug delivery vehicle include a peptide havingbiological molecule activation or inhibitory action. Examples of nucleicacids encoding peptides or nucleic acids that can be administered to apatient using the drug delivery vehicle include a nucleic acid encodinga peptide having biological molecule activation or inhibitory action. Inaddition, a peptide or a nucleic acid capable of controllingtranscription or translation of biological molecules and a nucleic acidencoding such peptide or nucleic acid can be administered to a patientusing the drug delivery vehicle.

In one application, the invention provides for a method of treating apatient with the drug delivery vehicle carrying a monocolonal antibodytherapeutic. Examples of diseases to be treated by the claimed methodinclude, but are not limited to, abciximab for cardiovascular disease,adalimumab for auto-immune disorders, alemtuzumab for chroniclymphocytic leukemia, basiliximab for transplant rejection, belimumabfor systemic lupus erythematosus, bevacizumab for colorectal cancer andage related macular degeneration, brentuximab vedotin for anaplasticlarge cell lymphoma (alcl) and hodgkin lymphoma, canakinumab fortreatment of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (caps), cetuximabfor colorectal cancer and head and neck cancer, certolizumab pegol forCrohn's disease, daclizumab for treatment of transplant rejection,denosumab for postmenopausal osteoporosis and solid tumor's bonymetasteses, eculizumab for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria,efalizumab for psoriasis, gemtuzumab for acute myelogenous leukemia(with calicheamicin), golimumab for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriaticarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, ibritumomab tiuxetan fornon-hodgkin lymphoma, infliximab for autoimmune disorders, ipilimumab(mdx-101) for melanoma, muromonab-cd3 for transplant rejection,natalizumab for multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease, atumumab forchronic lymphocytic leukemia, omalizumab for treatment ofallergy-related asthma, palivizumab for respiratory syncytial virus,panitumumab for colorectal cancer, ranibizumab for macular degeneration,rituximab for non-hodgkin lymphoma, tocilizumab (or atlizumab) forrheumatoid arthritis, tositumomab for non-hodgkin lymphoma, andtrastuzumab for breast cancer. In one application of the invention thedrug delivery vehicle are used to administer monoclonal therapy to apatient. In another application of the drug delivery vehicle isadministered to a patient as an admixture of the monoclonal therapy andan additional pharmaceutical agent and/or alternative therapeuticprocedure.

The invention provides for a method of treating a patient in need ofvaccination of a disease with a drug delivery carrying atherapeutic-effective amount of a vaccine. Examples of vaccinesenvisioned to be administrating using the drug delivery vehicle include,but are not limited to, anthrax vaccination by administering AVA(BioThrax) and equivalents thereof, chickenpox (varicella) vaccinationby administering VAR (Varivax), MMRV (ProQuad) and equivalents thereof,diphtheria vaccination by administering DTaP (Daptacel, Infanrix), Td(Decavac, generic), DT (-generic-), Tdap (Boostrix, Adacel), DTaP-IPV(Kinrix), DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix), DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel) and DTaP/Hiband equivalents of, hepatitis A vaccination by administering HepA(Havrix, Vaqta), HepA-HepB (Twinrix) and the alike, hepatitis Bvaccination by administering HepB (Engerix-B, Recombivax HB), Hib-HepB(Comvax), DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix), HepA-HepB (Twinrix) and equivalentsthereof, HIB vaccination by administering Hib (ActHIB, PedvaxHlB,Hiberix), Hib-HepB (Comvax), DTaP/Hib, DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel), andequivalents thereof, HPV vaccination by administering HPV4 (Gardasil),HPV2 (Cervarix) and equivalents thereof, influenza (seasonal flu)vaccination by administering TIV (Afluria, Agriflu, FluLaval, Fluarix,Fluvirin, Fluzone, Fluzone High-Dose, Fluzone Intradermal), LAIV(FluMist) and equivalents thereof, measles vaccination by administeringMR (M-M-R II), MMRV (ProQuad) and equivalents thereof, meningococcalvaccination by administering Polio (Ipol), DTaP-IPV (Kinrix),DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix), DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel) and equivalentsthereof, rabies vaccination by administering Rabies (Imovax Rabies,RabAvert) and equivalents thereof, rotavirus vaccination byadministering RV1 (Rotarix), RV5 (RotaTeq) and equivalents, rubellavaccination by administering MMR (M-M-R II), MMRV (ProQuad) andequivalents thereof, shingles (herpes zoster) vaccination byadministering ZOS (Zostavax) and equivalents thereof, smallpoxvaccination by administering Vaccinia (ACAM2000) and equivalents,tetanus vaccination by administering DTaP (Daptacel, Infanrix), Td(Decavac, generic), DT (-generic-), TT (-generic-), Tdap (Boostrix,Adacel), DTaP-IPV (Kinrix), DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix), DTaP-IPV/Hib(Pentacel), DTaP/Hib and equivalents thereof, tuberculosis vaccinationby administering BCG (TICE BCG, Mycobax) and the alike, typhoidvaccination by administering Typhoid Oral (Vivotif), TyphoidPolysaccharide (Typhim Vi) and equivalents thereof, yellow fevervaccination by administering YF (YF-Vax). Any such therapeutic agentscan be used in conjunction with the drug vehicle delivery system to apatient in need of vaccination.

In one application of the invention method of treating a patientsuffering from hyperproliferative disorder with a claimed targeted drugdelivery vehicle associated with a therapeutic-effective dose of achemotherapeutic. Non-limiting examples of hyperproliferative disordersenvisioned to be treated using the method include, benign,pre-malignant, or malignant tumors and cancerous diseases such ascarcinomas, gliomas, mesotheliomas, melanomas, lymphomas, leukemias,adenocarcinomas, rhabdomyosarcoma, primary thrombocytosis, primarymacroglobulinemia, small-cell lung tumors, non-small-cell lung tumors,primary brain tumors, stomach cancer, renal cancer, malignant pancreaticinsulanoma, malignant carcinoid, urinary bladder cancer, premalignantskin lesions, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, neuroblastoma,esophageal cancer, genitourinary tract cancer, malignant hypercalcemia,cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, adrenal cortical cancer, myeloidleukemia, small tissue sarcomas, osteosarcomas, Burkitt's lymphoma, headand neck cancer, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, cancer of theesophagus, pancreatic cancer, skin cancers, hepatobiliary cancer, cancerof the gallbladder, cancer of the small intestine, rectal cancer, kidneycancer, bladder cancer, brain cancer, blood cancers, prostate cancer,penile cancer, urethral cancer, testicular cancer, vaginal cancer,uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, parathyroid cancer, adrenal cancer,pancreatic endocrine cancer, carcinoid cancer, bone cancer,retinoblastomas, multiple myelomas, Hodgkin's lymphoma, andnon-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Chemotherapeutic drugs envisioned to be administered by the drugdelivery vehicle to a patient suffering from a hyperproliferativedisease include, but are not limited, to alkylating agents,antimetabolites, anthracyclines, alkaloids, topoisomerase inhibitors,and other antitumour agents.

Alkylating agents act by chemically modifying a cell's DNA causing DNAdamage in the cell. Specifically, the act by attaching an alkyl group tothe guanine base of DNA, at the number 7 nitrogen atom of the purinering. Some examples of alkylating agents include, but are not limitedto, nitrogen mustards which include cyclophosphamide, mechlorethamine,uramustine or uracil mustard, melphalan, chlorambucil, ifosfamide. Someexamples of alkylating agents include, but are not limited to,nitrosoureas which include carmustine, lomustin and streptozocin. Someexamples of alkylating agents include, but are not limited to, alkylsulfonates which include busulfan. In one application, the inventionprovides for a method of treating a cancer patient with the drugdelivery vehicle carrying a therapeutic effective amount of analkylating agent therapeutic.

Platinum-based chemotherapeutic drugs act in a similar manner asalkylating agents and as a result are sometimes described as“alkylating-like”. These agents do not have an alkyl group, butnevertheless damage DNA by permanently coordinate to DNA, and in turninterfere with the cells ability to perform DNA repair. Some examplesinclude, but are not limited to, cisplatin, carboplatin, nedaplatin,oxaliplatin, satraplatin and triplatin tetranitrate. In one application,the invention provides for a method of treating a cancer patient withthe drug delivery vehicle carrying a therapeutic effective amount of aplatinum-based therapeutic.

Anti-metabolites are chemicals that inhibit the use of a metabolite inits normal biological process. Anti-metabolites often have similarstructure to the metabolite that they interfere with. For example,anti-metabolites can impersonate nucleotide bases such as purines orpyrimidine and as a result become inserted as a “nucleotide bases” ofthe DNA. Their insertion into the DNA ultimately prevents normalcellular development and division. In addition, anti-metabolites canalso negatively affect RNA synthesis. Examples of anti-metabolitesinclude, but are not limited to, azathioprine and mercaptopurine. Owingto their efficiency at halting cell growth and cell divisionanti-metabolites drugs are one of the most widely used cytostatics. Inone application, the invention provides for a method of treating acancer patient with the drug delivery vehicle carrying atherapeutic-effective amount of an anti-metabolite.

Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds thatcontain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. Alkaloids are produced by a largevariety of organisms and are part of the group of secondary metabolites.While alkaloids have many pharmacological affects, some alkaloids canhave anticancer properties primarily by blocking cell division.Anticancer alkaloids such as vinca alkaloids and taxanes block celldivision by preventing microtubule function. Vinca alkaloids block celldivision, by binding to specific sites on tubulin, inhibiting theassembly of tubulin into microtubules (M phase of the cell cycle).Examples of vinca alkaloids include, but are not limited to,vincristine, vinblastine, vinorelbine, and vindesine. Taxanes block celldivision by enhancing the stability of microtubules which, in turn,prevents the separation of chromosomes during anaphase of the cellcycle. Some examples of taxanes include, but are not limited to, taxoland docetaxel. In one application, the invention provides for a methodof treating a cancer patient with the drug delivery vehicle carrying atherapeutic-effective amount of an alkaloid.

Topoisomerases are essential enzymes that maintain the topology of DNA.Topoisomerase inhibitors to type I or type II topoisomerases interfereswith both transcription and replication of DNA by disrupting the propersupercoiling formation of DNA. Some examples of type I topoisomeraseinhibitors include, but are not limited to, camptothecins, irinotecanand topotecan. Some examples of type II topoisomerase inhibitors,include but are not limited, to amsacrine, etoposide, etoposidephosphate, and teniposide. In one application, the invention providesfor a method of treating a cancer patient with the drug delivery vehiclecarrying a therapeutic effective amount of an topoisomerasestherapeutic.

Other antitumor agents include monoclonal antibodies and kinaseinhibitors and cytotoxic antibiotics. Some examples of cytotoxicantibiotics include, but are not limited, actinomycin, bleomycin,plicamycin, and mitomycin. Other cytotoxic antibiotics includeanthracyclines, such as doxorubicin, daunorubicin, valrubicin,idarubicin, and epirubicin. In one application, the invention providesfor a method of treating a patient with the drug delivery vehiclecarrying a therapeutic effective amount of a cytotoxic antibiotictherapeutic.

Other chemotherapeutic drugs envisioned to be administered by theclaimed drug delivery vehicle suffering from a hyperproliferativedisease or cancer include, but are not limited to, 13-cis-Retinoic Acid,2-CdA, 2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine, 5-Azacitidine, 5-Fluorouracil 5-FU,6-Mercaptopurine, 6-MP, 6-TG, 6-Thioguanine, Abraxane, Accutane®(Isotretinoin), Actinomycin-D, Adriamycin® (Doxorubicin),Adrucil®(5-fluorouracil and 5-FU), Afinitor® (Everolimus), Agrylin®,Ala-Cort®, Aldesleukin, Alemtuzumab, ALIMTA, Alitretinoin, Alkaban-AQ®,Alkeran®, All-transretinoic acid, Alpha Interferon, Altretamine,Amethopterin, Amifostine, Aminoglutethimide, Anagrelide, Anandron®,Anastrozole, Arabinosylcytosine, Ara-C, Aranesp®, Aredia®, Arimidex®,Aromasin®, Arranon®, Arsenic Trioxide, Arzerra™, Asparaginase, ATRA,Avastin®, Axitinib, Azacitidine, BCG, BCNU, Bendamustine, Bevacizumab,Bexarotene, BEXXAR®, Bicalutamide, BiCNU, Blenoxane® Bleomycin,Bortezomib, Busulfan, Busulfex®, C225, Cabazitaxel, Calcium Leucovorin,Campath® Camptosar®, Camptothecin-11, Capecitabine, Carac™, Carboplatin,Carmustine, Carmustine Wafer, Casodex®, CC-5013, CCI-779, CCNU, CDDP,CeeNU, Cerubidine®, Cetuximab, Chlorambucil, Cisplatin, CitrovorumFactor. Cladribine, Cortisone, Cosmegen®, CPT-11, Cyclophosphamide,Cytadren®, Cytarabine, Cytarabine Liposomal, Cytosar-U®, CytoxanDacarbazine, Dacogen, Dactinomycin, Darbepoetin Alfa, Dasatinib,Daunomycin, Daunorubicin, Daunorubicin Hydrochloride, DaunorubicinLiposomal, DaunoXome Decadron, Decitabine, Delta-Cortef®, Deltasone®,Denileukin Diftitox, DepoCyt™, Dexamethasone, Dexamethasone Acetate.Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate, Dexasone, Dexrazoxane. DHAD, DIC, DiodexDocetaxel, Doxil®, Doxorubicin, Doxorubicin Liposomal, Droxia™, DTIC,DTIC-Dome®, Duralone, Efudex®, Eligard™, Ellence™, Eloxatin™, Elspar®,Emcyt®, Epirubicin, Epoetin Alfa, Erbitux, Erlotinib, ErwiniaL-asparaginase, Estramustine, Ethyol, Etopophos®, Etoposide, EtoposidePhosphate, Eulexin®, Everolimus, Evista®, Exemestane, Fareston®,Faslodex®, Femara®, Filgrastim, Floxuridine, Fludara®, Fludarabine,Fluoroplex®, Fluorouracil, Fluoxymesterone, Flutamide, Folinic Acid,FUDR®, Fulvestrant, G-CSF, Gefitinib, Gemcitabine, Gemtuzumabozogamicin, Gemzar, Gleevec™, Gliadel® Wafer. GM-CSF, Goserelin,Granulocyte—Colony Stimulating Factor, Granulocyte Macrophage ColonyStimulating Factor, Halotestin®, Herceptin®, Hexadrol, Hexalen®,Hexamethylmelamine, HMM, Hycamtin®, Hydrea®, Hydrocort Acetate®,Hydrocortisone, Hydrocortisone Sodium Phosphate, Hydrocortisone SodiumSuccinate, Hydrocortone Phosphate, Hydroxyurea, Ibritumomab, IbritumomabTiuxetan, Idamycin®, Idarubicin, Ifex®, IFN-alpha, Ifosfamide, IL-11,IL-2, Imatinib mesylate, Imidazole Carboxamide, Inlyta®, Interferonalfa, Interferon Alfa-2b (PEG Conjugate), Interleukin-2, Interleukin-11,Intron A® (interferon alfa-2b), Iressa®, Irinotecan, Isotretinoin,Ixabepilone, Ixempra™, Jevtana®, Kidrolase (t), Lanacort®, Lapatinib,L-asparaginase, LCR, Lenalidomide Letrozole, Leucovorin, Leukeran,Leukine™, Leuprolide, Leurocristine, Leustatin™, Liposomal Ara-C, LiquidPred®, Lomustine, L-PAM, L-Sarcolysin, Lupron®, Lupron Depot®,Matulane®, Maxidex, Mechlorethamine, Mechlorethamine Hydrochloride,Medralone®, Medrol®, Megace®, Megestrol, Megestrol Acetate, Melphalan,Mercaptopurine, Mesna, Mesnex™, Methotrexate, Methotrexate Sodium,Methylprednisolone, Meticorten®, Mitomycin, Mitomycin-C, MitoxantroneM-Prednisol®, MTC, MTX, Mustargen®, Mustine, Mutamycin®, Myleran®,Mylocel™, Mylotarg®, Navelbine®, Nelarabine, Neosar®, Neulasta™,Neumega®, Neupogen®, Nexavar®, Nilandron®, Nilotinib, Nilutamide,Nipent®, Nitrogen Mustard, Novaldex®, Novantrone®, Nplate, Octreotide,Octreotide acetate, Ofatumumab, Oncospar®, Oncovin® (vincristine),Ontak® (Denileukin diftitox), Onxa™ (Paclitaxel), Oprelvekin, Orapred®,Orasone®, Oxaliplatin, Paclitaxel, Paclitaxel Protein-bound,Pamidronate, Panitumumab, Panretin®, Paraplatin®, Pazopanib, Pediapred®,PEG Interferon, Pegaspargase, Pegfilgrastim, PEG-INTRON™,PEG-L-asparaginase, PEMETREXED, Pentostatin, Phenylalanine Mustard,Platinol®, Platinol-AQ®, Prednisolone, Prednisone, Prelone®,Procarbazine, PROCRIT®, Proleukin®, Prolifeprospan 20 with Carmustine.Implant, Provenge®. Purinethol®, Raloxifene, Revlimid®, Rheumatrex®,Rituxan®, Rituximab, Roferon-A® (Interferon Alfa-2a), Romiplostim,Rubex® (doxorubicin), Rubidomycin hydrochloride, Sandostatin®,Sandostatin LAR®, Sargramostim, Sipuleucel-T, Solu-Cortef®,Solu-Medrol®, Sorafenib, SPRYCEL™, STI-571, Streptozocin, SU11248,Sunitinib, Sutent®, Tamoxifen, Tarceva®, Targretin®, Tasigna®, Taxol®,Taxotere®, Temodar®, Temozolomide, Temsirolimus, Teniposide, TESPA,Thalidomide, Thalomid®, TheraCys®, Thioguanine, Thioguanine Tabloid®,Thiophosphoamide, Thioplex®, Thiotepa, TICE®, Toposar®, Topotecan,Toremifene, Torisel®, Tositumomab, Trastuzumab, Treanda®, Tretinoin,Trexall™, Trisenox®, TSPA, TYKERB®, Vectibix™, Velban®, Velcade®,VePesid®, Vesanoid®, Viadur™, Vidaza®, Vinblastine, Vinblastine Sulfate,Vincasar Pfs®, Vincristine, Vinorelbine, Vinorelbine tartrate, VLB,VM-26, Vorinostat, Votrient, VP-16, Vumon®, Xeloda®, Zanosar®, Zevalin™,Zinecard®, Zoladex®, Zoledronic acid, Zolinza or Zometa®.

The term “diabetes mellitus” refers to a group of diseases that affecthow the body uses blood glucose. Chronic diabetes conditions includetype 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Depending on what type of diabetespatient has insulin may play a role in treatment. Many types of insulinare available, including rapid-acting insulin, long-acting insulin andintermediate options. A patient may be prescribing one of theses or amixture of insulin types. Examples of insulin or insulin analog productsinclude, but not limited to, Humulin®, Humalog®, Lantus®, Novolog®,Mix70/30 and Humalog is a human insulin analog that is a rapid-acting,parenteral blood glucose-lowering agent. Humulin L is an amorphous andcrystalline suspension of human insulin with a slower onset and a longerduration of activity compared to regular insulin. Humulin U is acrystalline suspension of human insulin with zinc providing a sloweronset and a longer and less intense duration of activity compared toregular insulin or the intermediate-acting insulins (NPH and Lente).

Other medications used for treatment of diabetes, function to stimulateyour pancreas to produce and release more insulin. Another type ofmedication that can be prescribed for diabetes are pharmaceutical agentsthat inhibit the production and release of glucose from your liver.Another type of medication can be prescribed are drugs that block theaction of stomach enzymes that break down carbohydrates or make yourtissues more sensitive to insulin. In another aspect of the invention,provides for a method of treating a subject with diabetes mellitus witha targeted drug delivery vehicle associated with a therapeutic-effectiveamount of insulin or insulin analog or other diabetes mellituspharmaceutical agents.

Cholesterol-containing deposits (plaques) on the walls of arteries aregenerally the cause of most coronary artery disease cases. As plaquesbuild up on the walls, they narrow the flow space of the coronaryarteries, resulting in the heart to receive less blood than without theplaques. A complete blockage of flow to the coronary artery can cause aheart attack. Statins or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors are commonly usedfor the treatment of coronary artery disease or to lower cholesterollevels in people at risk for cardiovascular disease owing tohypercholesterolemia.

Statins act by competitively inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme ofthe HMG-CoA reductase pathway, the metabolic pathway for cholesterolsynthesis. Although the statins' function is to inhibit endogenouscholesterol synthesis, their actions goes further than that. By reducingintracellular cholesterol levels, they cause liver cells to upregulateexpression of the LDL receptor, leading to increased clearance oflow-density lipoprotein from the bloodstream. Statins also exhibitadditional mechanisms beyond lipid-lowering activity in the preventionof atherosclerosis via four proposed mechanisms: improving endothelialfunction, modulating inflammatory responses, maintaining plaquestability, and preventing thrombus formation. An example of the statinsinclude, but are not limited to, atorvastatin, cerivastatin,fluvastatin, lovastatin, mevastatin, pravastatin, pravachol, selektine,lipostat, rosuvastatin (crestor), simvastatin, zocor, lipex andpitavastatin. Statin therapy has been shown to significantly reducemorbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. In one aspect of theinvention, the invention provides for a method of treating a subjectwith coronary artery disease using the claimed vehicle associated with atherapeutic-effective of statin. In another aspect, the inventionprovides for a method of treating a subject with coronary artery diseaseusing the claimed vehicle associated with a therapeutic-effective amountof insulin. In another aspect of the invention, the invention providesfor a method of treating a subject with coronary artery disease usingvehicle co-encapsulating therapeutic-effective amount of both insulinand statin.

In practicing the method of treatment of the present invention, the drugdelivery vehicle can be used alone or in combination with othertherapeutics, surgical or diagnostic approaches. The other therapeuticapproaches or agents can be administered at the same time as the drugdelivery vehicle associated with drugs, separately or at differenttimes.

Combination drug therapies can also be employed with drug deliveryvehicle. They can be administered separately or together by the samedrug delivery vehicle containing one or more of the drugs, such as anadmixture, such that that they can administered coincidently into thecell. Where one or more drugs are administered in separate drug deliveryvehicles, the timing and schedule of administration of each drug canvary.

Owing to the small size of the claimed drug delivery vehicle, it ispredicted to be able to cross the blood-brain barrier. The inventionprovides for a method of treatment for diseases that affect the braintissue, for examples, brain tumors, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson'sdisease, dementia, Huntington's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob (Mad Cow)disease and stroke patients.

A brain tumor is a mass or growth of abnormal cells in your brain. Somebrain tumors are noncancerous (benign), and some brain tumors arecancerous (malignant). Brain tumors can begin in your brain (primarybrain tumors), or cancer can begin in other parts of your body andspread to your brain (secondary, or metastatic, brain tumors). Braintumor treatment options depend on the type of brain tumor you have, aswell as its size and location. Invention provides a method for treatmentfor brain cancer using the claimed vehicle associated with a therapeuticeffective amount of an anti-cancer agent, for example thechemotherapeutic described herein and in combination with othertreatments such as gamma knife and surgical treatments.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) the most common form of dementia. In general,pathological effects of AD present in a person patient over 65 years ofage. The cause and progression of AD are not well understood. Two typesof drugs are currently used to treat cognitive symptoms associated withAD include, cholinesterase inhibitors and Memantine. These drugs work byboosting levels of a cell-to-cell communication. Examples ofcholinesterase inhibitors include, but are not limited to, donepezil(Aricept), galantamine (Razadyne) and rivastigmine (Exelon). Memantine(Namenda) can be administered alone or sometimes used in combinationwith a cholinesterase inhibitor. In one aspect of the inventioncholinesterase inhibitors or Memantine is associated with the targeteddrug vehicle and administrated to patient diagnosed with AD. In anotheraspect of the invention cholinesterase inhibitors or Memantine isassociation or co-associated with targeted drug vehicle as an admixtureand administrated to patient diagnosed with AD.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive disorder of the nervous systemthat affects your movement. The presence of Lewy bodies clumps ofspecific substances, including a-synuclein within brain cells aremarkers of a patient affected by Parkinson's disease. Both medicationsand Surgical procedures are use to help control can help controlsymptoms of Parkinson's disease. Example of medications given to PDpatient can include but are not limited to, Carbidopa-levodopa(Parcopa), Dopamine, Dopamine agonists, MAO B inhibitors, CatecholO-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors, Anticholinergics, and Amantadine.In another aspect of the invention the drug targeted vehicle isassociated with an anti-Parkinson's disease therapeutic agents andadministrated to patient diagnosed with Parkinson's disease alone, incombination or as an admixture, for example, with any of the describedtherapeutic above or with surgical treatment.

Huntington's disease is an inherited disease that causes the progressivebreakdown of nerve cells in the brain. Clinical symptoms usuallymanifest around the 40 to 50 years of age. The effect can result ininhibition of a patient's movement and cognitive functions and sometimecan result in the development of psychiatric disorders. Medications formovement disorders include etrabenazine (Xenazine), Antipsychotic drugs,such as haloperidol (Haldol) and clozapine (Clozaril) Other medicationssuch as clonazepam (Klonopin) and anti-anxiety drugs such as diazepam(Valium) may also be useful. Medications for psychiatric systems includeantidepressants include such drugs as escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine(Prozac, Sarafem) and sertraline (Zoloft). Antipsychotic drugs can helpprevent the psychological highs and lows include lithium (Lithobid) andanticonvulsants, such as valproic acid (Depakene), divalproex (Depakote)and lamotrigine (Lamictal). In another aspect of the invention thetargeting drug vehicle is associated with anti-Huntington's diseasetherapeutic agents and administrated to patient diagnosed withHuntington's disease alone, in combination or as an admixture withanother therapeutic agent, for examples the one listed above.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob (Mad Cow) disease is a degenerative brain disorderthat leads to dementia and, ultimately, death. Currently, no effectivetreatment exists for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or any of its variants.In another aspect of the invention the targeted drug vehicle isassociated with one or more anti-Creutzfeldt-Jakob therapeutic agentsand administrated to patient diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

D. Administration Frequency and Dosing

The claimed targeted dug delivery vehicle can be administered asfrequently as necessary, including hourly, daily, weekly or monthly, asdetermined by the treating physician. Determination of the proper dosagefor a particular situation is within the skill of the clinicalpractitioner. For example, dosages can be empirically determined byconsidering the diagnosis of the type and stage of disease, asdetermined by the treating physician. The dose administered to apatient, in the context of the present invention should be sufficient toaffect a beneficial therapeutic response in the patient over time.However, the dosages and frequency of the pharmaceutical agent given toa particular patient will vary depending upon the requirements of thepatient, the severity of the condition being treated, and the efficacyand toxicity pharmaceutical agent being given. For example, thecompounds utilized method of treatment of the invention can beadministered at the initial dosage of about 0.0001 mg/kg to about 1000mg/kg daily. A daily dose range of about 0.01 mg/kg to about 500 mg/kg,or about 0.1 mg/kg to about 200 mg/kg, or about 1 mg/kg to about 100mg/kg, or about 10 mg/kg to about 50 mg/kg, can be used. It isenvisioned with the application of the present invention that dosing canbe significantly above or the normal dosing levels used withconventional drug delivery methods as discussed herein.

Daily dosing of the vehicle associated with a pharmaceutical agent maybe divided and administered in portions during the day, as determined bythe treating physician. Doses can be given daily, or on alternate daysor alternatively they can also be given on a regular or continuous basisover longer periods of time e.g. weeks, months or years, as determinedby the treating physician. Determination of the proper dosage for aparticular situation is within the skill of the clinical practitioner.Generally, treatment is initiated with smaller dosages which are lessthan the optimum dose of the compound. Thereafter, the dosage isincreased by small increments until the optimum effect undercircumstances is reached, as determined by the treating physician.

In applying the methods of treatment using the claimed vehicle it isenvisioned that the dosing using the drug can performed with very highdoses, owing to reduced toxicity effects through targeting 20%, 30%,40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, or 80% of normal concentration given by conventionalmethods to yield a equivalent of better therapeutic effect on diseasebeing treated. In another application of the method of treatment usingthe claimed vehicle it is envisioned that this application will allowfor the lowering of the normal concentration given by conventionalmethods, owing to enhanced delivery of drug through targeting to 10%,20%, 30% or 40% to yield a therapeutic effect on the disease beingtreated.

E. Combination Method of Treatments

In practicing the methods of the present invention, the vehicleassociated with a pharmaceutical agent can be administrated alone, or itcan be administrated in combination with other therapeutics. Othertherapeutics for example can include, but are not limited to,therapeutic agents, surgical methods, radiation methods, diagnosticmethods or agents.

Methods for experimentally determining therapeutically-effective dosagesof the vehicle associated with a pharmaceutical drugs and other agentsfor use in combination treatment regimens include the use of i.e., byproviding more frequent, lower doses in an effort to minimize anyundesirable side-effects. Combination treatment regimens encompassadministration of the drug containing vehicle described herein isinitiated prior to, during, or after treatment with a second agentdescribed above, and continues until any time during treatment with thesecond agent or after termination of treatment with the second agent.Furthermore, combination regimens also include treatments in which avehicle encapsulated a second agent being used in combination areadministered simultaneously or at different times and/or at decreasingor increasing intervals during the treatment period. Combinationtreatments further include periodic treatments that start and stop atvarious times to assist with the clinical management of the patient. Forexample, combination treatment with the vehicle can be is administeredweekly at the onset of treatment, decreasing to biweekly, and decreasingfurther as appropriate

Radiation can be given as a curative modality, either alone or incombination with surgery and/or chemotherapy. It may also be used torelieve symptoms in patients with incurable cancers. Radiation therapyworks by damaging the DNA of cancerous cells causing them to haltproliferation or die. This DNA damage is caused by one of two types ofenergy, photon or charged particle. The most common form of radiationtherapy is intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). IMRT relies onphotons and the majority of the radiation effect is through freeradicals. Another type of radiation used to charged particle therapy.This type of radiation uses charged particles such as proton, boron,carbon, and neon ions can cause direct damage to cancer cell DNA throughhigh-LET (linear energy transfer and and act mostly via direct energytransfer usually causing double-stranded DNA break to cause cell deathof the cancer cell. The amount of radiation used in photon radiationtherapy is measured in gray (Gy), and varies depending on the type andstage of cancer being treated. For curative cases, the typical dose fora solid epithelial tumor ranges from 60 to 80 Gy, while lymphomas aretreated with 20 to 40 Gy. For example, combination treatments for thetreatment of cancers provided but the invention include radiation from20 to 40 Gy either in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapydelivered by the drug delivery particle.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatsuch embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerousvariations, changes, and substitutions will now occur to those skilledin the art without departing from the invention. It should be understoodthat various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention describedherein may be employed in practicing the invention. It is intended thatthe following claims define the scope of the invention and that methodsand structures within the scope of these claims and their equivalents becovered thereby.

EXAMPLES

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail byway of illustration and example for purposes of clarity ofunderstanding, one of skill in the art will appreciate that certainchanges and modifications may be practiced within the scope of theappended claims. In addition, each reference provided herein isincorporated by reference in its entirety to the same extent as if eachreference was individually incorporated by reference.

Example 1

Preparation of Drug Associated Vehicle with Sodium Cholate Dialysis

The amino acid chain (SEQ ID NO: 20) was synthesized by a solid-phaseprocedure, using a Fmoc/DIC/HOBt protocol on a Biosearch 9600 peptidesynthesizer (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.). Both L-amino acid(L-37 pA) and D-amino acid (D-37 pA) enantiomers were synthesized. Allpeptides were purified to greater than 98% homogeneity by reverse-phaseHPLC on an Aquapore RP-300 column. Then the Myristic acid was covalentattached to the amino acid chain.

1. Myristoyl-5A peptide (final conc.:0.5 mg/ml) in 2 ml PBS and the drug(valrubicin) in DMSO are mixed by vortexing.2. 14 mg sodium cholate is added and the volume is increased to 2 mlwith buffer (10 mM Tris, 0.1M KCl, 1 mM EDTA pH 8.0).3. The mixture is mixed thoroughly by vortexing and incubated overnightat 4° C.4. The mixture is then dialyzed (MW cutoff 2000 kD dialysis bag) against1 liter of PBS for 48 hours with at least 4 changes of buffer5. The recovered vehicle solution/suspension centrifuged at 5,000 RPMfor 5 minutes and then filter sterilized by passing through 0.2 μMsyringe filter.6. Incorporation efficiency (vehicle content vs. original amount of drugused) is determined by using various methods depending on the type ofdrug used. (e.g. spectrophotometry, fluorometry, radioactivity etc.).

Example 2 Specificity of Targeting Drug Delivery Vehicle on Cancer CellsVs Non-Maligent Cells

Culturing of the malignant non malignant cell lines were carried outaccording to procedures and culturing conditions provided by the ATCC.Briefly the cells were cultured in Roswell Park Memorial Institute 1640(RPMI 1640) with 10% fetal bovine serum. A non malignant prostateepithelial cell line (PZ-HPV) was grown in keratinocyte mediumsupplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum medium containing humanrecombinant epidermal growth factor and bovine pituitary extract as permanufacture's instructions.

Example 3 Solubility Study in Target Drug Delivery Vehicle

The solubility of paclitaxel in a series of dissolution media containingdifferent amount of sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS can be determined. Thenumber of folds of saturation volume (FSV) provided by 900 ml of mediafor 2 mg paclitaxel can be estimated to assess the solubilising capacityof each media. The equilibrium solubility (C_(n)) of paclitaxel inphosphate buffer containing 0, 0.05, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0% of SLS can bebe 2.11.+−.0.01 ug/ml (FSV 0.9), 2.33.+−.0.15 ug/ml (FSV 1.0),3.20.+−.0.16 ug/ml (FSV 1.4), 8.00.+−.0.39 ug/ml (FSV 3.6), and119.+−.29 ug/ml (FSV 53.6), respectively. According to the USPguideline, sink conditions can be achieved if drug concentrations aremaintained at or below one-third of the saturation solubility. Thesolubility of paclitaxel can be increased in a non-proportional fashionwith the addition of SLS, A minimum level of 0.5% SLS can be sufficientto provide sink conditions for paclitaxel dissolution (FSV>3). Thedissolution pattern of pure paclitaxel and the various paclitaxelformulations can be studied using both sink (0.5% SLS) and non-sink (0%and 0.05% SLS) conditions. The experiment can be repeated for paclitaxelin a drug delivery vehicle of the present invention.

Example 4 In Vitro Dissolution Studies

An in vitro dissolution study can be performed in 900 ml of phosphatebuffer (0.05 M, pH 7.2) containing 0, 0.05, and 0.5% (w/v) SLS, usingUSP 23 type II apparatus (paddle method) operating at 75.+−.0.02 rpm.Each sample, containing about 2 mg of celecoxib (equivalent to theamount used in the in vivo studies), can be added into the dissolutionmedium maintained at 37.+−.0.5.degree. C. Aliquots of 3 ml can be drawnat fixed time points and replaced with an equal volume of freshdissolution medium. The drawn samples can be centrifuged at 9,400 g for15 min to remove undissolved materials. The supernatant can be subjectedto another cycle of centrifugation under the same conditions. An aliquotof 100 ul can be taken from the middle portion of each centrifugedsamples before diluted 2-fold with acetonitrile. Centrifugation can beselected for phase separation of the samples because preliminaryexperiments can show that most (Millipore) filters absorb celecoxib,therefore separation by filtration might not be employed. The amount ofcelecoxib dissolved in the dissolution media can be analysed by HPLC.The experiment can be repeated for celecoxib in a drug delivery vehicleof the present invention.

Example 5 In Vivo Pharmacokinetics Comparing Conventional Vs Target DrugDelivery Vehicle˜Plasma Concentration Curves

Each group can contained 5 mice). Each animal can be implantedsubcutaneously with MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cells. When tumor grows toapproximately 125 mm3 (100-150 mm3), animals can be pair-matched bytumor size into vehicle drug treatment group and control group free drugtreatment group. One group can be dosed intravenously with (30 mg/kgpaclitaxel) using conventional delivery and the other group can be dosedwith the vehicle delivery/PTX (80 mg/kg paclitaxel). Blood samples (0.2mL) can be collected from the jugular vein at designated time intervalsand the cannula can be flushed with an equal volume of heparinisednormal saline (50 units/5 ml) to prevent blood clotting. The collectedblood samples can be centrifuged at 9,400 g for 5 min. An aliquot of 100ul plasma can be vortex-mixed with 100 ul acetonitrile and centrifugedat 3,500 g for 10 min to remove proteins, prior to HPLC analysis. Therecoveries of paclitaxel in the plasma can be determined.

Example 6

Therapeutic Index Drug Delivery Vehicle with Conventional Drug Delivery

By treating patients using the targeting vehicle composition, thetherapeutic index of most, if not all, therapeutic agents can beincreased.

Example 7 Competition of Targeting Drug Vehicle and HDL for the HDLReceptor

Drug delivery vehicles were prepared with the myristoylated (SEQ IDNO:20). These data show that human HDL suppresses the uptake of a drugcarried by the drug delivery vehicles suggesting that the uptake of thedrug is facilitated by the SR-B1 (HDL) receptor. Cells were plated in 24well plates (100,000 cells/well) in their respective media. On thefollowing day, the monolayers were washed with PBS, pH 7.4, and thenincubated at 37° C. with serum free medium for 90 minutes. Cells werewashed with PBS and incubated with a single concentration of therHDL/AD-32 complex plus increasing amounts of HDL (0-120 μg) in serumfree medium for 90 minutes. So that the uptake measurement will notinclude rHDL at the cell surface, the preparation was washed once with1×PBS, pH 3.0 & then with 1×PBS, pH 7.4. The cells are then lysed withlysis buffer (50 mm Tris-HCl (pH 8.0), 150 mM NaCl, 0.02% Sodium Azide,100 μg/ml PMSF, 1 μg/ml aprotinin and 1% Triton X-100). The lysate wascentrifuged at 10,000 rpm for 5 minutes. The protein and AD-32 contentof the lysate was determined by BCA assays andspectrophotometric/fluorometric measurements were carried out at 450 nm(absorbance) and excitation at 485 nm-emission at 525 nm (forfluorescence).

Example 8

Evaluation and Characterization of Reconstituted High DensityLipoprotein Nanoparticles Assembled with Apo A-I Mimetic Peptides

1. Design and Synthesis of Apo a-I Mimetic Peptides

Four apo a-I mimetic peptides were synthesized, such that each peptidehas an amphipathic helical configuration, and an affinity for the SR-B1receptor. The sequences of the apo a-I mimetic peptides are shown below.

NAME CODE # AMINO ACID SEQUENCE Hydrophobic ELK-18M 37878EKLLELLKKLLELLKELL (SEQ ID NO: 63) Positively charged  37877EKLKALLEKLLAKLKELL ELK-18M (SEQ ID NO: 64) Neutral ELK-18M 37874EKLKELLEKLLEKLKELL (SEQ ID NO: 65) Negatively charged  37875EELKEKLEELKEKLEEKL ELK-18M (SEQ ID NO: 66) MYR-5A (control) 30722

2. Paclitaxel Encapsulation Efficiency into Myristoyl PeptideNanoparticles Based on Measurements of ³H-Paclitaxel

Paclitaxel encapsulation efficiency into myristoyl peptide nanoparticlesbased on measurements of 3H-paclitaxel is shown in FIG. 8. Someturbidity was observed in all of the tested preparations. In order toclarify the preparations, the samples were centrifuged at 5,000 RPM for5 minutes. This treatment resulted in substantial losses ofradioactivity, indicating that most of the drug was loosely bound by thepeptide complexes. However, the peptide 39877, retained 60% of theinitial amount of paclitaxel, an efficiency level which is higher thanexperienced with the (control) MYR-5A peptide.

The use of a highly ionized detergent in the place of cholate mayimprove incorporation of paclitaxel. Removal of residual amounts ofhighly ionized detergents could be accomplished using ion exchangeresins, if needed. While the incorporation of each drug may varysubstantially with the chemical configuration of the (drug) startingmaterial, each drug could be tested with each of the 4 model peptides tooptimize incorporation.

3. mRNA Encapsulation Using MYR Conjugated Apo A-I Mimetic Peptides

In an embodiment of the present invention, ˜2kb mRNA was encapsulated toimprove its functionality and bioavailability. mRNA was combined withphospholipid in the presence of detergent and particles of approximately3 μm diameter were obtained. Upon addition of the MYR-5A peptide, adramatic reduction in particle size was observed to ˜500 nm. The smallerparticle is suitable for efficient delivery of the mRNA to target cellsand for therapeutic applications.

1-67. (canceled)
 68. A targeted drug delivery vehicle comprising: a drugcomposition and 5-50 of a targeted poly-amino-acid subunit, wherein thetargeted poly-amino-acid subunit comprises a targeting amino acid chainconjugated to a fatty acid, and wherein the targeting amino acid chainis 15-20 amino acids of an apolipoprotein A-1 and binds to a SR-B1receptor.
 69. The targeted drug delivery vehicle of claim 68, whereinthe targeting amino acid chain is SEQ ID NOs.: 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,24, 25, or
 26. 70. The targeted drug delivery vehicle of claim 68,wherein the targeting amino acid chain is SEQ ID NOs.: 27, 28, 29, 30,31, 32, 33, or
 34. 71. The targeted drug delivery vehicle of claim 68,wherein the targeting amino acid chain is SEQ ID NOs.: 35, 36, 37, 38,39, 40, 41, or
 42. 72. The targeted drug delivery vehicle of claim 68,wherein the targeting amino acid chain is SEQ ID NOs.: 43, 44, 45, 46,47, 48, 49, 50, or
 51. 73. The targeted drug delivery vehicle of claim68, wherein the targeting amino acid chain is SEQ ID NOs.: 52, 53, 54,55, 56, 57, 58, or
 59. 74. The targeted drug delivery vehicle of claim68, wherein the targeting amino acid chain is SEQ ID NOs.: 60, 61, 62,63, 64, 65, or
 66. 75. The target drug delivery vehicle of claim 68,wherein the targeting amino acid chain is SEQ ID NOs.: 18-65, or 66, andwherein the fatty acid chain is 1-15 carbons in length.
 76. The targetdrug delivery vehicle of claim 68, wherein the targeting amino acidchain is SEQ ID NOs.: 18-65, or 66, and wherein the fatty acid chain isa myristic acid.
 77. The target drug delivery vehicle of claim 68,wherein targeting amino acid chain is SEQ ID NOs.: 18-65, or 66, andwherein the fatty acid is an unesterified cholesterol.
 78. The targetdrug delivery vehicle of claim 68, wherein targeting amino acid chain isSEQ ID NOs.: 18-65, or 66, and wherein the fatty acid is apalmitoyl-oleyl phosphatidylcholine.
 79. The target drug deliveryvehicle of claim 68, wherein the targeting amino acid chain is SEQ IDNOs.: 18-65, or 66, and wherein the fatty acid is a phospholipid. 80.The target drug delivery vehicle of claim 68, wherein the targetingamino acid chain is SEQ ID NOs.: 18-65, or 66, and wherein the fattyacid is a saturated fatty acid.
 81. The target drug delivery vehicle ofclaim 68, wherein the targeting amino acid chain is covalently linked tothe fatty acid.
 82. The target drug delivery vehicle of claim 68,wherein the targeting amino acid chain comprises one or more amphipathicalpha-helical domains.
 83. The target drug delivery vehicle of claim 68,wherein the targeting amino acid chain further comprises an amino acidsequence that has affinity to a transmembrane molecule.
 84. The targetdrug delivery vehicle of claim 68, wherein the targeting amino acidchain further comprises an amino acid sequence that has affinity to anHDL receptor.
 85. The target drug delivery vehicle of claim 68, whereinthe targeting amino acid chain further comprises an amino acid sequencethat has affinity to rapidly dividing cells.
 86. The target drugdelivery vehicle of claim 68, wherein the targeting amino acid chainfurther comprises an amino acid sequence that has enhanced affinity to acancer cell.
 87. The target drug delivery vehicle of claim 68, whereinthe targeted drug delivery vehicle further comprises one or morecompounds selected from the group consisting of: an unesterifiedcholesterol, a palmitoyl-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine, a phospholipid, anapolipoprotein A-1 protein, and a 15-20 amino acid chain of anapolipoprotein A-1 and binds to a SR-B1 receptor.